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Baltimore Orioles Trade Target: Rich Hill

By Dave Stevenson

May 29, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Oakland Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Orioles clearly need to trade for at least one starting pitcher. Could it be Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill?

As of June 29, the Baltimore Orioles are sitting in first place in the American League East. They sit in first place despite being precisely what many experts and fans believed them to be back in March – a team that scores a ton of runs with mediocre starting pitching that has been overcome by a stellar bullpen.

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Chris Tillman has been the lone reliable starting pitcher for the O’s this season. Kevin Gausman has pitched far better than his record and ERA suggest so he is not a part of the starting rotation issues. Tyler Wilson should be a number five starter, but on the O’s, one could argue he’s their number three starter. Ubaldo Jimenez is a wild card, but his two most recent games have been quite encouraging. Yovani Gallardo has been alright, but hasn’t been the innings eater that he was supposed to be. It stands to gain that the Orioles need to add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline to be a serious World Series contender. Tillman, Gausman, and (insert acquistion here) is enough for the O’s to make a serious World Series run, especially with their lineup and bullpen. Rich Hill is a candidate to be that guy.

Back in 2009, if you would have told anyone that Rich Hill would be a coveted asset in 2016, they would have assumed a village had lost its idiot. Here we are in 2016 and the best pitching rental option is none other than Rich Hill. After struggling for most of his career, Hill has emerged over the past two seasons as a great starting pitcher. 

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This season, Rich Hill has a 2.25 ERA and, more impressively, a 2.71 FIP. He is striking out 10.41 batters per 9 innings, justifying a slightly alarming walk rate of 3.38 walks per nine innings. While his home run rate (0.28 home runs per nine innings is 2016) would likely climb if the O’s traded for him, he has been remarkably efficient at not allowing fly balls to the outfield and has avoided hard contact.

It would likely cost a lot to get him, perhaps more than what the O’s can feasibly offer. Their only top-tier prospect is pitcher Hunter Harvey and he has significant injury issues. Even if Harvey is involved in a Hill trade, that’s probably not enough considering that every team needs pitching (especially the Orioles’ division rival Boston Red Sox). In 2009, I never thought I would type this, but Rich Hill is the kind of pitcher who could make the O’s a strong World Series contender.

Of course, there is risk in trading for Hill. He can’t have that many pitches left in him. The biggest concern with Hill is that he’s not even averaging six innings a start (64 innings in 11 starts). That said, the O’s bullpen is reliable enough that it doesn’t particularly matter.

Next: O's Must Solve Starting Pitching Woes

Trading for Rich Hill is something nobody envisioned back in 2009. Most people probably thought he would be long out of baseball by 2016 back in 2009. But here we are in 2016 with Hill potentially being the guy who could help the Orioles return to the World Series for the first time since 1983. That sums up why you can’t predict baseball. It’s why it’s such a beautiful game.

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