Pittsburgh Pirates keep building with Rich Hill addition

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ surprisingly active offseason has continued with yet another one year deal.

According to Jeff Passan from ESPN, the Pirates have signed 42 year old Rich Hill to a one year deal. He will receive $8 million for the upcoming season, his 19th in the majors.

Pittsburgh Pirates make surprisingly large offer for Rich Hill

This continues what has been an active offseason for the Pirates. They had already signed Carlos Santana, Vince Velasquez, and Austin Hedges while trading for Ji-Man Choi and Connor Joe. Hill is another piece on a one year deal that should improve the roster without blocking any of their prospects.

Hill should be a solid upgrade to the Pirates’ rotation. He posted a 4.27 ERA and a 1.303 WHiP in his 124.1 innings, striking out 109 batters with 37 walks. While he is not going to be a top of the rotation arm any longer, he could be a solid piece as a fourth or fifth starter.

That is really what the Pirates are going to need him to be. They need someone capable of putting together a solid performance in the back of the rotation, eating five or six innings at a time. Hill, despite his age and previous injury issues, should be able to do that for at least one more year.

Hill could also make a difference in the Pirates’ future. He would be a solid veteran mentor for their young arms and, if he performs well enough in the first few months of the season, could bring back a decent return at the trade deadline. Despite his age, his presence could be felt in Pittsburgh for years to come.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing to add to their roster. Their surprising addition of Rich Hill is yet another solid piece on a one year deal.