Why Royals designated veteran starter Rich Hill for assignment & what lies ahead
Rich Hill’s time in Kansas City has come to an end.
On Tuesday, the Royals designated Hill for assignment. Hill, who made two starts with the organization, allowed four earned runs in Monday’s series-opening loss to the Atlanta Braves at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals had to make a difficult decision due to their injury-riddled starting rotation. The club has three starters — Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen — currently on the injured list and needed a fresh arm to avoid taxing the bullpen.
Hill was the odd man out.
“That’s what drove us to do it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “I mean, the bullpen guys have been used heavily and you’ve got to take care of those guys. You know, we are going to need them for the next two months to pitch a lot of big innings. And when guys aren’t going to be available, you have to be realistic.”
The Royals haven’t announced a starter for Wednesday’s finale against the Braves. It’s possible the club utilizes a bullpen game with a scheduled off day Thursday. In recent days, the KC bullpen has been taxed at Kauffman Stadium.
“It’s very challenging,” Quatraro said. “I mean, there are no breathers and no breaks. We have the off day on Thursday, but nonetheless, you have to come out here and compete against really good lineups every night. And when you are not exactly sure how to go about that, your depth is challenged and it taxes everybody.”
The Royals recalled right-hander Thomas Hatch from Triple-A Omaha. He is built up to go multiple innings and could be needed to pitch either Tuesday or Wednesday. Hatch was up earlier this season with the club.
“I’ve made some adjustments,” Hatch said. “I felt like my command has been really good lately, limiting free passes and really generating weak contact.”
Hill is now subject to a few options.
The Royals have a seven-day period to either trade him to a desired location or place him on outright waivers. In that window, Hill can join another team or clear the waiver system and evaluate his options.
Should he go unclaimed, Hill can accept a minor league assignment with the Royals or elect to become a free agent. He has the right to choose given he has surpassed five years of major league service time.
There is an outside chance Hill elects to stay in the Royals organization.
The Royals will continue to evaluate their starting rotation moving forward. Both Ragans and Lorenzen are progressing toward a return in the upcoming weeks but the Royals still need to fill their void.
It’s possible Royals general manager J.J. Picollo swings a trade ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline on Thursday at 5 p.m. Central. The club could also look to shuffle in different pitchers from the minor leagues.
One name to watch is former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel. He is currently pitching in Triple-A Omaha and could be needed for a spot start. The Royals also have left-hander Daniel Lynch IV on a rehab assignment.
How the Royals navigate their upcoming slate could define the season. After finishing up their homestand against the Braves, the Royals hit the road for a nine-game swing against the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.
All three American League teams are squarely in the wild card hunt. The Royals entered Tuesday’s game 4 ½ games behind the Red Sox for the final playoff spot.
“It’s an exciting time of the year,” Hatch said.
This story was originally published July 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM.
