TAMPA — Tim Hill and the Yankees stayed in touch all offseason, yet the two sides didn’t agree to a new deal until Feb. 4.
With pitchers and catchers holding their first official workout on Wednesday, the side-arming southpaw said that returning to the Yankees was his preferred outcome after the team helped him turn his 2024 season around. But he also admitted to getting a little antsy as his free agency lingered and spring training neared.
“I would say towards the end I started getting a little impatient, I guess you could say, but I was just trying to be patient with it,” Hill told the Daily News. “It’s easier said than done.”
The reliever signed a one-year, $2.85 million deal with the Yankees. The pact also comes with a $3 million club option for 2026 or a $350,000 buyout.
Hill, who turned 35 on Feb. 10, had other suitors, and he opened himself up to the idea of playing for them as the days passed. However, his agent communicated that the veteran relief market might move slowly this winter, and the Yankees had other Plan B priorities to address after losing Juan Soto’s free agent sweepstakes.
In the end, Hill ended up right where he wanted to be.
“Coming back here was a priority for me, but I was also prepared for anything, because you never know,” he said. “They could have pivoted and went after somebody else. It’s just the way it works. But I was always hopeful that I would come back here, and I’m glad that I did.”
Hill’s fondness for the Yankees began midway through the 2024 season, as he opened the campaign with the historically awful White Sox. A groundball specialist with a terrible defense behind him, he recorded a 5.87 ERA over 23 innings for Chicago before being released in mid-June.
The Yankees jumped at the chance to sign Hill, a move that proved more than beneficial.
Hill shined in pinstripes, posting a 2.05 ERA over 35 games and 44 innings with the Yankees. His ERA improved to 1.29 over his last 23 outings, and he ended up leading all pitchers (minimum 60 innings) with a 68.2% groundball rate.
Then he logged a 1.08 ERA over 10 appearances and 8.1 innings in the playoffs as the Yankees advanced to the World Series. That October performance only attracted more suitors in free agency.
When asked why Hill picked the Yankees over other contenders, he said, “It was a good experience last year. I get along with a lot of the guys here, and the staff as well. I feel like this is a good group of people over here, a good organization. I enjoyed my time here last year.”
While Hill’s unemployment dragged out over the offseason, he managed to keep busy.
The Yankees’ long postseason run left little downtime before Hill began his offseason routine. So did becoming a first-time father, as Hill and his wife welcomed a baby boy to the world over the winter.
“Between baseball training and dealing with the little guy, I had plenty on my plate,” Hill said. “It wasn’t a boring offseason.”
ANOTHER RELIEF RETURN
Like Hill, Jonathan Loáisiga is also happy to be back with the Yankees. The righty re-signed with the team over the offseason, inking a one-year deal with a club option for 2026. It guarantees him $5 million.
Loáisiga, 30, pitched in just three games last year before an elbow flexor injury required season-ending surgery. On Thursday, however, he said that he feels good physically and is hoping to return in late May or early June. Pitching coach Matt Blake previously suggested late April or early May, but Loáisiga said there’s “no rush.”
“You have to allow flexibility in that timeframe, keep going through it and see how you feel,” the pitcher added.
Loáisiga can be a dominant relief weapon, but he has a long injury history. He’s hoping that changes to his routine, including a focus on shoulder flexibility and less weightlifting, will help him stay healthy.
A career Yankee, Loáisiga also said that he felt he “owed it” to the team and fans to re-sign because of his injury woes.
“Deep in my heart, I felt like that’s what I wanted to do,” he said. “It was important for me to come back here.”
REYZELMAN FEELING BETTER
Eric Reyzelman is doing better after suffering an allergic reaction on Wednesday. The pitching prospect stayed at a nearby hospital overnight for observation, but he “hung out” at the Yankees’ complex on Thursday and was in “good spirits,” per Aaron Boone.
Newsday’s Eric Boland reported a peanut allergy triggered Reyzelman’s reaction.
