Red Sox one of many teams to attend veteran lefty pitcher’s ’showcase’ on Friday
The Red Sox only added one starting pitcher to the 26-man roster ahead of the MLB trade deadline when they went out and acquired James Paxton from the Dodgers.
Now that the deadline has passed, the Red Sox could still use additional starting pitching depth.
Boston attended veteran left-hander Rich Hill’s pitching showcase on Friday, according to WEEI’s Rob Bradford.
"I feel 100%," Hill told Bradford, according to the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast.
Hill is attempting a comeback to the big leagues, intentionally not signing with anyone this past offseason so he could spend more time with his family. The Milton native wanted to pitch this season but decided to try and sign with a club in playoff contention in August, hoping to stay sharp on the mound.
The Red Sox could use an additional arm, with the workload becoming a clear issue for Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, and Nick Pivetta. Alex Cora is pushing Pivetta back a bit to give him more time between outings.
Pivetta isn’t dealing with an injury, but the righty has failed to go five innings or more in two of his last three starts. He has given up 13 runs (12 earned) in his last three outings.
The Minnesota Twins are already expressing interest in Hill, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The Twins interest comes on the heels of losing Joe Ryan, who was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of the tres major muscle in his right shoulder. Ryan’s injury is putting his season in jeopardy. In addition to losing Ryan, the Twins placed Chris Paddack on the 15-day injured list.
If Hill signs with a club before September 1st, he will be eligible to pitch in the postseason for his new club, provided the team makes the playoffs.
