White Sox Release Tim Hill
The White Sox have released left-hander Tim Hill, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. They will remain on the hook for what’s left of his $1.8MM salary. Any other club could now sign him and would only have to pay the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster, with that amount subtracted from what the Sox pay.
Hill, 34, was signed in the offseason to a one-year deal. The White Sox kicked off a rebuild in 2023 and had traded away many established players, including relievers like Joe Kelly, Reynaldo López, Kendall Graveman and Keynan Middleton. When the offseason began, they continued the job by sending Aaron Bummer and Gregory Santos out of town.
The hope was that Hill could serve as a solid veteran presence in a relief corps with a lot of uncertainty and perhaps turn himself into a trade candidate prior to the deadline. Unfortunately, he allowed 5.87 earned runs per nine innings over his 27 appearances for the Sox and got designated for assignment last week. Since he has over five years of major league service time, he has the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency while keeping all of his salary intact. Those circumstances made it fairly inevitable that he would find himself back in free agency.
Now that he’s on the open market and can be signed for cheap, teams may be willing to overlook his ERA and find encouraging signs in his other numbers. He has always been a ground ball guy, with a 60.5% rate in that department for his career. He has actually been even better than ever at keeping the ball on the dirt this year with a 65.6% grounder rate, well beyond the 42.6% league average for 2024. His 11% strikeout rate is incredibly low, but he only punched out 12.6% in 2022, a season in which he managed to have a 3.56 ERA with the Padres.
Hill may not be as exciting as a fire-breathing closer but he’s a solid veteran with 347 major league appearances and a 4.30 ERA in those. The results this year haven’t been great so far but he had a .436 batting average on balls in play while pitching for the club with arguably the worst defense in the majors. The Sox have a collective -20 Outs Above Average this year, slightly ahead of the Pirates and Marlins, while their -52 is easily the worst in baseball with the Rays second-last at -31. His 3.46 FIP and 3.90 SIERA paint a much more flattering picture than his ERA.
Since Hill can be signed for cheap and so many clubs around the league are battling pitching injuries, perhaps one of them will take a chance on him finding better results in a different environment.
MLBTR Podcast: José Abreu’s Release, Betts and Yamamoto Hit The IL And Even More Injuries
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Astros releasing José Abreu (2:25)
- The Dodgers dealing with injuries to Mookie Betts and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12:30)
- The Yankees are getting Gerrit Cole back but lost Anthony Rizzo (18:25)
- The Braves lose another outfielder with Michael Harris II hitting the injured list (26:55)
- The sad news of Willie Mays passing came out during recording (30:10)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Do the Giants have a chance of getting Pete Alonso? Or will the Mets make additions if they carry the power of Grimace into the deadline? (32:15)
- How should the Nationals address their outfield surplus? And where did all these good pitchers come from? (42:35)
- What are the chances the White Sox package Luis Robert Jr. and Garrett Crochet at the deadline? And if they trade Crochet and Erick Fedde, how will they fill the rotation after? (49:55)
Check out our past episodes!
- Injured Astros, The Chances Of Bad Teams Rebounding In 2025 And More – listen here
- Gambling Scandal, The State Of The Blue Jays And The Orioles’ Rotation Depth – listen here
- Ángel Hernández Retires, Ronald Acuña Jr. Out For The Season And Roki Sasaki’s Potential Posting – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
AL Central Notes: Crochet, Clevinger, Wacha, Lange
Unsurprisingly, the White Sox have set an “exorbitant” asking price on Garrett Crochet in early trade talks, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. As we already saw this past winter with the Dylan Cease trade negotiations and the eventual deal that sent Cease to the Padres, the Sox are naturally out for the biggest return possible when moving any of their most valuable trade chips. Crochet definitely fits that description, as he has broken out as a starting pitcher this year and is under arbitration control through the 2026 season.
Chicago isn’t likely to drop its demands much (or even at all) until closer to the deadline, and Crochet’s arbitration control also gives the Sox some extra leverage since the team doesn’t need to move the southpaw any time soon. If anything, Crochet having a full and healthy season as a starter might only increase what the White Sox might be looking for in trade talks during the offseason, when the Sox could speak to a wider array of potential suitors.
More from around the AL Central…
- Sticking with the White Sox, Mike Clevinger told reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that he is set to begin rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte. The plan is for Clevinger to start on Tuesday and Sunday in Charlotte before then possibly being activated from the 15-day injured list if all goes well. Clevinger hasn’t pitched since May 23 due to a bout of elbow inflammation, and he has a 6.75 ERA over 16 innings and four starts this season. Clevinger’s season already got off to a late start since he didn’t sign his one-year, $3MM free agent deal with Chicago until the start of April, but if he able to return healthy, he’ll have over a month to audition for interested teams heading into the trade deadline.
- Michael Wacha is slated to make a rehab start with the Royals‘ Arizona Complex League team tomorrow, manager Matt Quatraro told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters. This might be Wacha’s only rehab outing, as Quatraro indicated that the Royals are planning to have the veteran righty back in their rotation next weekend. Wacha signed a two-year, $32MM contract (with an opt-out after this season) with Kansas City this past winter, and delivered a 4.24 ERA over his first 68 innings as a Royal before a non-displaced fracture in his left foot resulted in an IL stint. June 1 was the retroactive start date of that IL visit, so returning by next weekend makes for a relatively quick return for Wacha, which is good news considering the tricky nature of such injuries.
- Alex Lange had to leave the mound during an outing with Triple-A Toledo on Friday, and the Tigers reliever was in visible discomfort with an apparent upper-body injury. Lange was set to undergo tests this weekend and the team hasn’t yet given any official word on his status. Detroit optioned Lange to Triple-A last month after he posted a 4.34 ERA and (more distressingly) an 18.9% walk rate over 18 2/3 innings this season. Lange has long battled control problems but his stay in Toledo seemed to be bearing dividends, as he had only a 2.9% walk rate and a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 Triple-A innings.
White Sox Select Chuckie Robinson
2:39pm: White Sox manager Pedro Grifol confirmed to reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that Robinson had the ability to opt out of his contract with the club if not added to the 40-man roster.
12:08pm: The White Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of catcher Chuckie Robinson. Outfielder Duke Ellis was designated for assignment to make room for Robinson on the 40-man roster. Robinson was optioned to Triple-A following the selection of his contract.
Robinson, 29, signed with the White Sox on a minor league deal back in December. In 41 games at the Triple-A level this year, he’s hit just .235/.288/.386 with a 24.4% strikeout rate. That relatively lackluster slash line was nonetheless enough to earn Robinson his first time on a 40-man roster since 2022, when he appeared in 25 games for the Reds and slashed just .136/.136/.271 in 60 trips to the plate for the club. With the White Sox, Robinson as a depth catcher behind the club’s current tandem of Martin Maldonado and Korey Lee, offering the club an optionable catcher they can rely on in the event of an injury. By adding Robinson to the 40-man roster, the White Sox also bypass any hypothetical opt-outs that Robinson may have available to him in his minor league deal with the club, securing his place in the organization.
Making room for Robinson on the 40-man is Ellis, who was selected onto the club’s roster earlier this month. The 26-year-old was a 26th-round pick by the Padres back in 2017 but did not sign. Ultimately, he landed with the White Sox in 2020 as an undrafted free agent and made his pro debut for the club the following year. Ellis worked his way through the club’s minor league system over the past four years but generally struggled with the bat at each level, posting an overall slash line of just .241/.328/.333 during his four seasons in the minors.
Ellis nonetheless managed to crack the majors despite that lackluster offensive performance thanks primarily to his blazing speed. The outfielder has swiped 117 bags in 133 opportunities during his time in the minors and went 34-for-36 at the minor league level on the basepaths this year. That elite baserunning carried over to his time in Chicago, where the White Sox used him primarily as a pinch runner and saw him steal four bases in four attempts during his brief time in Chicago. The White Sox will have one week to either work out a trade or attempt to pass Ellis through waivers. If he goes unclaimed, they’ll have the opportunity to outright him to the minor leagues. Given Ellis lackluster offensive ability, it would be easy to imagine clubs passing on the youngster. With that being said, however, it’s at least possible that his skills as a speedster could catch the eye of a team with room for a pinch runner and defensive replacement in their bench mix.
White Sox Select Chad Kuhl
The White Sox announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Chad Kuhl from Triple-A Charlotte. Chicago also reinstated outfielder Tommy Pham from the injured list and optioned righty Jordan Leasure and outfielder Zach DeLoach to Charlotte in a pair of corresponding moves.
Kuhl, 31, is a veteran of seven big league seasons who joined the South Siders on a minor league deal in the offseason. He’s made 13 appearances in Charlotte, 11 of them starts, and posted a 4.34 ERA in that time. Kuhl’s 17.3% strikeout rate is considerably below-average, while his 13.6% walk rate with the Knights is substantially higher than average. He’s turned in a strong 53.5% grounder rate and done a nice job keeping the ball in the yard, averaging 0.8 homers per nine frames.
Kuhl spent the 2023 season with the Nationals organization but struggled through 16 appearances before being cut loose. He announced shortly thereafter that while he’d received contract offers to sign elsewhere, he was taking a leave from the game to support his wife, Amanda, as she battled Stage 3 breast cancer. She announced via social media in November that she’d completed her cancer treatments. The Athletic’s Stephen J. Nesbitt chronicled the couple’s journey through that harrowing ordeal this past April, revealing within that Amanda is thankfully in the “maintenance” phase of her treatment and no longer showing any sign of cancer.
Prior to Kuhl’s time with the Nats, he spent five seasons with the Pirates and a sixth with the Rockies. In all, he’s totaled 615 big league innings and pitched to a 4.98 ERA, though that number is skewed to an extent by last year’s grisly 8.45 mark while quietly dealing with that terrifying family issue away from the field. Kuhl’s best season came with the ’17 Pirates, when he started 31 games and logged a 4.35 ERA over the course of 157 1/3 innings.
The White Sox don’t have an immediate opening in the rotation, but Kuhl can provide a long relief option and perhaps step up next week if the Sox want to get their starters some extra rest. Top starter Garrett Crochet, notably, has already established a new career-high in innings pitched after shifting from a relief role to the rotation this season. For now, the Sox have Chris Flexen, Erick Fedde and top prospect Drew Thorpe lined up to make the next three starts in their road series with the Diamondbacks.
Michael Kopech Drawing Interest From Several Teams
The White Sox are one of the game’s few clear sellers with the trade deadline still six weeks out, and teams have been showing recent interest in closer Michael Kopech, reports Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Among the interested clubs are the Royals, Phillies and Yankees, each of whom has sent scouts to watch the hard-throwing righty in the past few weeks. Levine adds that rival clubs believe the Sox are seeking controllable pitching in return.
Kopech, 28, is in his first season as a full-time reliever after making a combined 52 starts with the ChiSox in 2022-23. He’s taken up the role of the team’s primary closer, though given Chicago’s dismal results this season, he’s only picked up five saves on the year. Kopech’s bullpen tenure got out to a strong start, but he’s hit a rough patch of late, yielding eight earned runs over his past 6 1/3 frames. That rocky stretch has ballooned his ERA from 3.18 to 4.91.
Despite that lackluster mark, there’s plenty to like about Kopech. Once touted as one of the game’s elite pitching prospects — he and Yoan Moncada headlined the White Sox’ return for Chris Sale during their last rebuild — Kopech boasts a power arsenal that helps him miss bats in droves. He’s averaged a blazing 98.7 mph on his heater this season and punched out a gaudy 32.3% of his opponents. Kopech’s 14.1% swinging-strike rate is well north of the league average. That power arsenal, as is often the case, comes with notable command issues; Kopech has walked 13.5% of his opponents in 2024 and sports an unsightly 13.6% mark dating back to 2022.
Beyond his bat-missing ability, Kopech is both affordable and controllable. He’s earning $3MM in 2024 and would be arbitration-eligible once more this winter before reaching free agency following the 2025 season. Adding Kopech for a pair of pennant chases would give any contending club a power arm with an often triple-digit heater, bat-missing slider and a newly implemented cutter that’s been a plus pitch thus far.
With regard to the interested parties, none of the three teams listed by Levine comes as a surprise. The Royals have already been canvassing the bullpen market in early June, though their status as a division rival to the White Sox might make it tougher to complete a deal with Kansas City than with Philadelphia, New York or any of the surely yet-unnamed clubs who have interest in prying Kopech from the South Siders. That said, the Royals rank 22nd in the majors with a 4.32 ERA from their relievers. Their bullpen’s collective 93.5 mph average fastball velocity (per Statcast) is 27th in the majors, while its 17.7% strikeout rate is the worst in MLB. Kopech would add the type of power, bat-missing repertoire the Royals currently lack.
The Phillies (3.55, ninth) and Yankees (3.19, third) both rank among MLB’s ten best teams in terms of bullpen earned run average. They’ve gotten there in slightly different ways, with the Phillies focusing on strikeouts (26.5%, third in MLB) while the Yankees have a below-average 21.9% strikeout rate but also possess the third-best ground-ball rate of any team (46.8%). Both teams are among the three best in baseball at limiting home runs, with the Philly bullpen sitting at 0.68 HR/9 and the Yankees narrowly trailing at 0.74 HR/9. Both clubs are luxury-tax payors in 2024, making Kopech’s relatively modest $3MM salary all the more appealing.
It stands to reason that the Royals, Phillies and Yankees are just three of many clubs looking at Kopech as the trade deadline looms next month. Bullpen help is on every postseason hopeful’s deadline wishlist every summer, and Kopech is the type of power arm that any team would love to try to maximize. While velocity is up throughout the game, and triple-digit fastballs are no longer the rarities they once were, that doesn’t take away from Kopech’s impressive repertoire. The only pitchers in MLB (min. 10 innings) who throw harder on average are Oakland’s Mason Miller, Minnesota’s Jhoan Duran, Milwaukee’s Abner Uribe, Arizona’s Justin Martinez and St. Louis’ Ryan Helsley. Kopech’s bottom-line run prevention numbers may not stand out, but other teams surely covet the upside and feel there’s a potentially elite reliever to be unlocked with a few tweaks.
Eloy Jiménez To Begin Rehab Assignment
The White Sox announced today that designated hitter/outfielder Eloy Jiménez has been sent to the Arizona Complex League White Sox on an injury rehab assignment. Rehab assignments for non-pitchers come with a 20-day maximum before they need to be reinstated from the injured list, if there’s no health setback.
Jiménez, 27, suffered a left hamstring strain about three weeks ago. Manager Pedro Grifol said at that time that Jiménez was going to miss an “extended period of time” without putting a firm timeline on it. Now it seems that he’s ready to get back into games and, barring a setback, return to the major league club by the beginning of July or perhaps sooner.
The timeline is notable since Jiménez is an obvious candidate to be traded before the trade deadline. The White Sox are deep into a rebuild, having traded away players like Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Aaron Bummer, Robbie Grossman, Reynaldo López, Jake Burger and others in the past year. They have a dismal record of 17-52 this season, the worst in the majors by a significant margin.
Jiménez is in the final guaranteed season of the six-year, $43MM extension he signed with the Sox going into 2019. He’s making $13MM this year and then there are two club options. Next year’s is priced at $16.5MM with an $18.5MM option for 2026, with each of those having a $3MM buyout.
Over the course of that deal, he has shown the ability to be a significant threat in the lineup, but he has often struggled to deliver on that promise due to injuries. He has a career slash line of .271/.321/.479, which translates to a wRC+ of 116, indicating he’s been 16% better than league average overall.
However, his 122 games played in his rookie season are still a personal best. Since then, he has only once hit the 85-game mark. He has spent time on the IL due to a high right ankle sprain, a right ulnar nerve contusion, a left adductor strain, a ruptured left pectoral tendon, an appendectomy, a torn hamstring tendon and multiple left hamstring strains.
It’s possible that the compounding injuries are taking a toll on his body. He slashed .276/.327/.504 from 2019 to 2022 but has hit just .263/.310/.427 since the start of 2023, the latter line translating to a wRC+ of 102. Since Jiménez isn’t really a burner on the bases nor a strong fielder, the lesser offensive output is a blow to his value.
With the health problems and his diminished results of late, the interest is likely to be muted. What might help the Sox, however, is the expanded playoff field. As of this moment, the Sox are one of just five clubs that are more than 4.5 games away from a playoff spot. All other clubs will have to make some difficult decisions about how much to sell or whether to do any at all. The Rays and Blue Jays are reportedly putting off the decision until later while Astros general manager Dana Brown has said he plans on buying even though his club is near the back of the playoff race.
The Orioles could reportedly be looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder. The Mariners are leading their division but fired their offensive coordinator but of their struggles at the plate. Atlanta lost Ronald Acuña Jr. for the year and has been scuffling offensively lately. The Royals have a terrible outfield, something that MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently explored for Front Office subscribers. Teams like the Cardinals, Guardians, Reds, Rangers, Cubs, Blue Jays and Twins could be looking for some extra firepower.
Before any of that can even be a consideration, Jiménez will have to get healthy and stay that way for long enough to show some promise against major league pitchers. This year’s trade deadline is on July 30.
MLBTR Podcast: Injured Astros, The Chances Of Bad Teams Rebounding In 2025 And More
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…
- The Astros have lost several players to injury but general manager Dana Brown insists they will be deadline buyers (0:45)
- With so few teams clearly out of contention, signs are pointing towards a seller’s market at the deadline (7:20)
Plus, we answer your questions, including…
- Out of the five worst teams right now (Athletics, Angels, White Sox, Marlins and Rockies), who most needs to replenish their farm system and who could possibly turn things around by 2025? (11:20)
- The Guardians need a right-handed right fielder with power. Who is a viable target? (20:40)
- Will the Marlins to try trade Jesús Luzardo and Jazz Chisholm Jr.? (24:30)
- Could you see Alex Anthopoulos of the Braves trying to get Kevin Gausman from the Blue Jays? (28:35)
- How active will the Reds be at the deadline? (32:15)
- Should the Dodgers acquire Javier Báez from the Tigers and move Mookie Betts back to the outfield and/or option Gavin Lux? (35:40)
Check out our past episodes!
- Gambling Scandal, The State Of The Blue Jays And The Orioles’ Rotation Depth – listen here
- Ángel Hernández Retires, Ronald Acuña Jr. Out For The Season And Roki Sasaki’s Potential Posting – listen here
- The Likelihood Of A Juan Soto Extension, What’s In Store For Pete Alonso, And Corbin Carroll’s Struggles – listen here
The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!
White Sox Designate Tim Hill For Assignment
The White Sox announced today that outfielder Andrew Benintendi and right-hander Steven Wilson have been reinstated from the injured list. In corresponding moves, outfielder Duke Ellis was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte while left-hander Tim Hill was designated for assignment.
Hill, 34, signed with the White Sox in the offseason on a one-year deal with a guarantee of $1.8MM. The Sox were surely hoping that the experienced groundballer could provide a veteran presence to the club while also perhaps turning himself into a midseason trade chip.
Unfortunately, the results haven’t quite been there for Hill so far this year. He has made 27 appearances for the Sox but has an earned run average of 5.87. That’s obviously not a great number, but it’s possible that Hill has been more unlucky than bad.
His 11% strikeout rate is less than half the league average, but that’s not terribly unusual for him. He only struck out 12.6% of batters faced with the Padres in 2022, a season he finished with a 3.56 ERA. His 8.5% walk rate this year is right around league average while his 65.6% ground ball rate would actually be a career high, as his previous best was a clip of 61.8% in his rookie season.
The major difference in Hill this season seems to be a .436 batting average on balls in play. That’s well beyond the .286 league average and Hill’s career number of .310. ERA estimators like FIP and SIERA have Hill at 3.44 and 3.87 respectively, suggesting it’s possible he’s been closer to his previous form than it would appear at first glance, as he had a 3.72 ERA from 2020 to 2022. His exit velocity and hard hit numbers are roughly in line with previous seasons as well.
It’s possible the club’s poor defense isn’t doing him any favors, as the Sox have a collective -51 Defensive Runs Saved this year and -20 Outs Above Average. That DRS tally is the worst in the league while the OAA number in tied for last with the Marlins.
The Sox will now have one week to trade Hill or pass him through waivers. It’s possible that he could garner interest if some clubs are willing to overlook the earned runs this year and focus more on the underlying metrics. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment while retaining his salary.
White Sox Return Rule 5 Pick Shane Drohan To Red Sox
The White Sox have returned Rule 5 pick Shane Drohan to the Red Sox, with Chris Cotillo of MassLive among those to relay the news on X. Drohan won’t need to take up a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster.
Drohan, 25, was selected by the White Sox with the fourth pick in last year’s Rule 5 draft. Unfortunately, he underwent shoulder surgery in February and had to begin the season on the injured list. He started a rehab assignment about a month ago but struggled to get into good form, allowing nine earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. He struck out 15 opponents but gave out eight walks.
As a Rule 5 pick with his 30-day rehab window closing, Drohan needed to be added to the active roster but Chicago wasn’t willing to do that. The designated him for assignment last week and any club could have claimed him off waivers, but doing so would have meant taking on the same Rule 5 restrictions. Since they all apparently passed, the Red Sox are able to reacquire Drohan as non-roster depth.
He’ll now look to continue his development in the Red Sox’ system. Through May 10 of 2023, he had thrown 252 1/3 innings in the minors in 56 games, including 54 official starts. He had allowed 3.57 earned runs per nine frames in that time with a 26.3% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate.
Since then, things have been a bit shakier. He was promoted to Triple-A at that point but had a 6.47 ERA in 89 innings at that level, walking 14.9% of batters faced. The White Sox had him working relief outings on his recent rehab but it’s possible the Red Sox will stretch him back out now.