Red Sox reportedly close to signing 44-year-old Rich Hill to contract

This would stand as Hill’s fourth stint with his hometown team in the Red Sox.

Rich Hill is reportedly back with the Red Sox for a fourth stint. Jim Davis / The Boston Globe

The Red Sox are reportedly close to bringing back a local product in 44-year-old pitcher Rich Hill.

According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox are finalizing a minor-league contract with Hill, with the Milton native giving Boston some additional reinforcements for a beleaguered rotation.

According to Bradford, Hill took part in a showcase for three teams at Champion Physical Therapy and Performance in Waltham last Friday. The southpaw delivered more than 100 pitches as part of his workload.

This would stand as Hill’s fourth stint with his hometown team in the Red Sox. He played from Boston in 2010-12, 2015 and made 22 starts during the 2022 season.

Hill did pitch during the 2023 season, making 27 total starts between the Pirates and Padres and posting a 5.41 ERA over 146.1 innings of work.

Even though he fielded offers on major-league contracts this past offseason, Hill opted to sit out the first five months of the 2024 campaign in order to coach his 12-year-old son, Brice, in Little League.

Hill’s addition comes as a critical time for the Red Sox, especially with veteran lefty James Paxton’s season likely over after suffering a partially torn calf on Sunday against the Astros.

Hill could potentially bump righty Cooper Criswell out of the rotation, although it remains to be seen just how much the 44-year-old Hill has left in the tank at this stage of his career.