At 45 years old, veteran Rich Hill is expected to be called up to the major leagues by the Royals, marking a record 14th team in his career.

As reported by MLB.com journalist Anne Rogers, left-handed veteran Rich Hill is anticipated to be elevated to the major leagues by the Royals, but the team has yet to make an official announcement. Hill is presently at Wrigley Field with the team, part of the Royals' bench, gearing up for a three-game matchup against the Cubs. Manager Matt Quatraro has not yet disclosed the starting pitcher for Wednesday.

"It will depend on today's training performance," Quatraro stated regarding the pitching arrangements for Wednesday. After signing a minor league contract with the Royals in May, Hill has been continuously working on his form. The left-hander has a 5.22 ERA over 11 starts (including 9 in Triple-A Omaha), recording 61 strikeouts.

Despite a high ERA, Hill's control in the minors this season has been praised by the team—out of 11 appearances, he has allowed 2 or fewer runs in 6 games, and on July 14, he recorded a double-digit strikeout game while starting for Triple-A Omaha, becoming the first 45-year-old player to achieve this feat since Nolan Ryan in 1992.

"He has performed steadily," Quatraro remarked, "though there have been ups and downs, his control remains dominant when on point." If he takes the mound tomorrow at Wrigley Field, the 45-year-old Hill will tie the record for playing with 14 major league teams held by Edwin Jackson, while also surpassing Gaylord Perry as the oldest player in Royals history.

This promotion will see Hill return to the ballpark where he made his major league debut 20 years ago—on June 16, 2005, he started his career at Wrigley Field against the Florida Marlins. Since entering the majors in 2005, Hill has played for the Cubs, Orioles, Red Sox, Guardians, Angels, Yankees, Athletics, Dodgers, Twins, Rays, Mets, Pirates, and Padres.

This late-blooming left-hander had a career ERA of only 4.72 before turning 34 (in the 2014 season) and peaked between 2015 and 2020: pitching 505 innings with an ERA of 2.92 and striking out 584 batters. At 43 in 2023, he still made 27 starts (including 22 for the Pirates at the season's start), with an ERA of 4.76. After a trade to the Padres before the deadline, his performance declined (with an ERA of 8.23 over 10 appearances), and he only pitched 4 games in relief for the Red Sox in 2024.

With right-hander Michael Lorenzen placed on the 15-day injured list due to a left oblique strain (retroactive to July 12), Hill is expected to fill the void in the rotation, serving as a starter or long reliever. "He has precise control," Quatraro emphasized, "is in excellent physical condition, moves well defensively, and is skilled at pitching from multiple angles—these key attributes have not faded."