This afternoon the Yankees declined to pull back Matt Thornton when he was claimed on waivers by the Nationals, giving away the 37-year-old left-hander. And now to replace him in the bullpen they’ve called up 34-year-old left-hander Rich Hill from Triple-A.
Thornton had a 2.55 ERA and 20/6 K/BB ratio in 25 innings, but struggled with inherited runners, never really gained the trust of manager Joe Girardi as more than a situational southpaw, and is owed $3.5 million for 2015.
Of course, Hill’s previous stint in the majors this season came with the Angels and he failed to retire any of the four batters he faced before being released. And last year he had a 6.28 ERA in 39 innings for the Indians.
So how did he convince the Yankees to call him up as Thornton’s replacement? Hill made four appearances at Triple-A, allowing zero runs and striking out 10 of the 16 batters he faced.