Sources: Yankees add Hill to banged-up bullpen

Reliever Tim Hill and the New York Yankees are in agreement on a one-year major league contract, sources told ESPN, in a deal that adds the veteran left-hander to the team with the best record in baseball.

Hill, 34, was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox last week following a rough patch in which his ERA ballooned to 5.87. Hill still has not allowed a home run, and his 65.6% groundball rate is the third-best among relievers in Major League Baseball — behind Yankees closer Clay Holmes and Baltimore Orioles setup man Yennier Cano.

Hitters have tagged Hill’s fastball this season, dropping 41 hits in 23 innings, but he’s been an effective bullpen piece since his debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2018, posting a 3.88 ERA over the next five years. The San Diego Padres nontendered Hill after the 2023 season, and he signed a one-year, $1.8 million contract with Chicago in December.

The Yankees, who lost reliever Jonathan Loaisiga to Tommy John surgery earlier this season and placed reliever Ian Hamilton on the injured list earlier this week, have the third-best bullpen ERA in the American League at 3.41, with pitching coach Matt Blake helping extract career-best seasons from right-handers Luke Weaver, Michael Tonkin and Ron Marinaccio.

Right-handed reliever Scott Effross and right-handed starter JT Brubaker, both of whom haven’t pitched since 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, are currently on rehabilitation assignments for New York as well.

Hill is the latest reclamation project for the 51-25 Yankees, who added ace Gerrit Cole back to their rotation Wednesday and already have lefties Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez in their bullpen.