Red Sox appoint Rich Hill to new assignment

The Red Sox announced on Friday that they had signed the left-hander Rich Hill for the mission. His place in the squad goes to the right-hander Luis Guerrerowhose contract was selected from Triple-A Worcester.

Hill, 44, returned to the major leagues after sitting out the first two-thirds of the season. Earlier in the offseason, he said he planned to wait until the middle of the 2024 season before seeking a return. He would use the time off to be with his family and then ideally be fresher by the end of the current season. Hill began the 2023 season as a solid innings eater at the bottom of the Pirates' rotation, but dropped off significantly after a trade to the Padres.

Last month, Hill showcased for big league clubs and drew a large number of talent scouts. He said he felt ready then to throw five innings and jump right onto a big league mound. The grizzled left-hander signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox — incredibly, his eighth career free agent contract with Boston — and had actually broken up to the major leagues after just one Triple-A appearance, in which he threw two scoreless innings.

The Sox did not add Hill to the rotation, instead opting to use him in the bullpen. His first two appearances could not have gone much better. He threw 2 2/3 perfect innings and struck out three opponents. In his next two appearances, Hill allowed a total of two runs, a home run and three walks. He struck out two more batters along the way. In total, Hill pitched just 3 2/3 innings during his final appearance with the Red Sox, posting a 4.91 ERA with five strikeouts and three walks.

Now that Hill has been designated for assignment, he will be placed on waivers. He would no longer be eligible to play on a new club's playoff roster if he were claimed, though it's at least partially possible that a postseason contender seeking more pitching depth could still slot him into one of the final spots on their team with little risk. Otherwise, Hill can head to Worcester to continue pitching in Triple-A or become a free agent again. It's not entirely clear whether he wants to keep pitching, and since he turns 45 next March, it's fair to wonder how much longer he wants to keep going. After all, Hill has struck out a third of the batters he faced (five of 15) during that brief time with the Red Sox, so there's reason to believe he might still have something left in the tank.

The 24-year-old Guerrero had a good season in Triple-A, where he posted a 3.31 pitching average with a huge 33.1% strikeout rate in 54 1/3 innings, but also a bloated 13.4% walk rate. MLB.com ranks him 28th among the Sox farm hands, touting a fastball that is 96-98 mph and reaches 100 mph at times. He complements that pitch with a splitter and a slider. Guerrero throws hard and misses batters frequently, but like so many young flamethrowers, his effectiveness is undermined at times by shaky control. This year's 13.4% walk rate for Guerrero is right in line with his career rate at all minor league levels combined.