Los Angeles Dodgers: Remembering each pitcher’s first career start
RICH HILL
MLB DEBUT: 6/15/05
AGE: 38
DRAFTED: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the fourth round of the 2002 June Draft out of the University of Michigan.
Before Rich Hill was a Dodger, he was an Athletic and a Red Sock, and Yankee before that. Rich Hill has been in the majors for a long time and has more veteran experience than any pitcher on the team, and probably all of baseball (with the exception of the great Bartolo Colón.) Rich Hill is a gem in the eyes of Dodger fans.
He’s the guy the Dodgers never knew they needed.
Rich Hill’s major league debut was over a decade before he debuted with the boys in blue, but a lot has changed since then, so let’s just focus on the recent part of his great history, for now.
On August 1st, Rich Hill and current Astro Josh Reddick were traded to the Dodgers from the Oakland A’s.
Though trade deadline acquisitions who are soon-to-be free agents can be tricky, Rich Hill made it easy. He came, he saw, he conquered and then, he re-signed.
His first start as a Dodger was on a windy summer night on the 24th of August, in 2016 at Chavez Ravine. He pitched 6 shutout innings against the San Francisco Giants, allowing no runs, 5 hits, and 3 walks. He exited the game with a pitch count of 81, a low count due to his recent recovery from a blister, but at the end of his outing, over a quarter of his pitches (24) were strikes looking.
It was on that night when the Dodgers saw something great from Rich Hill. They saw a player with a curveball so unique that most batters can’t help but stand in the box and be baffled.
Since then, Hill has started 33 games in Dodger blue, including one, tragic game that frankly, still stings at the thought.
Rich Hill has played for a lot of teams. He’s played on the east coast, in the midwest, and in the west. He’s played wearing red, green and Yankee navy.
After all of that, it seems that Rich Hill has finally found a home in Dodger Blue.
And we here in LA are sure happy to have him.