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Former Dodgers 12-Game Winner Makes Surprising Career Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 7:01 PM ET

Don't get longtime MLB pitcher Rich Hill wrong—he's still planning on taking a big-league mound near you, even at 45 years old.

However, it seems like Hill isn't exactly in a rush.

FanSided's Robert Murray reported that Hill would not use his June 15 opt-out clause and instead remain with the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate. Hill is 3-0 with a 2.81 ERA and a 19-7 K-BB ratio in three starts for the Omaha Storm Chasers.

However, Murray added that the Royals would allow Hill to leave if another team offers him a major-league opportunity.

We last saw Hill in the majors a summer ago, when he tallied a 4.91 ERA in 4 1/3 innings with the Boston Red Sox.

Remarkably, that marked Hill's fourth stint with Boston since 2010. Immaculate Grid players know Hill well, considering that he's pitched for 13 of the league's 30 teams since debuting in 2005 with the Chicago Cubs.

Hill is 90-74 with a 4.01 ERA in parts of 20 seasons. He's won a game for 11 separate franchises.

Besides his never-ending MLB journey, Hill is perhaps best known for his four years with the Dodgers. A midseason trade acquisition in 2016, Hill went 30-16 with a 3.16 ERA in 69 games (68 starts) through 2019.

It's interesting that the Royals intend on using Hill as a starter. Both the Red Sox and San Diego Padres utilized Hill as a reliever over the last two years, and he exclusively pitched out of the bullpen from 2010-14.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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