If ever there were an off-season meant for acquiring an outstanding free agent pitcher…this would not be it. Most of the names of the list are older or injury-prone, excluding the pitchers who can expect a $200+ million payday. But reclamation projects are the Oakland Athletics’ favorite type of free agent signing, and on Tuesday, they agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with left-hander Rich Hill. They also guaranteed him a rotation spot, which will make it hard to find room for the actual upgrade that they need.
Hill would have been a terrific depth signing, but to be contenders next year, the Athletics absolutely must get one of the pitchers from the second tier of free agent options – not the bottom tier.