The Kansas City Royals are set to call up 45-year-old pitcher Rich Hill from their minor league side for a start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. This will mark Hill’s 21st season in Major League Baseball.
Hill will tie Edwin Jackson for the record of most franchises played for in MLB history at 14. He will also become the first pitcher aged 45 or older to appear in a game since Bartolo Colon back in 2018.
Hill has been turning out for the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, Omaha, after joining the team in an off-season trade. He has a 4-4 record and a 5.36 ERA in nine starts there.
Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro confirmed the plan after the Royals beat the Cubs 12-4 on Monday night at Wrigley Field.
Hill only played four games last season for the Boston Red Sox, but his start on Tuesday will make him the oldest active player in baseball.
The veteran left-hander is no stranger to the big stage, having made 11 postseason starts with the Los Angeles Dodgers, including two World Series starts in 2017 and another in 2018. He went 11-5 during the 2018 regular season.
Over his career, Hill has posted a 90-74 record with a 4.01 ERA across 386 MLB games. He has thrown 1,409 innings and struck out 1,428 batters.
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