Dodgers: Patience or Panic with Four Struggling Dodgers

Rich Hill

Last year the Dodgers finally dipped into their deep well of prospects and traded for Josh Reddick and Rich Hill. The key player in this acquisition was Hill who was having a stellar season at the time, and the Dodgers thought he would fit nicely behind Kershaw as a solid number two.

Hill came through in the playoffs and was rewarded by the Dodgers with a three-year $48 million deal. However, this season he looks more of the pitcher that was toiling in Independent Ball than the one who finished out the 2016 season.

The southpaw’s 2017 season got off to a rocky start with him dealing with the ever occurring problem of blisters on his hands. When he finally returned to the mound, the results were not good.

So far this season Hill is 3-3 with an ERA of 5.14 in only 35 innings of work. The scary aspect of his statistics is the fact that he has walked 23 batters in that short amount of time. Also, the 35 innings of work are over eight starts! This means every time he takes the mound he only lasts on average a little more than four innings a start.

One big issue with Rich Hill is his body language. Many pitchers get emotional on the mound, but he often lets his emotions get the better of him. Whether it be serving up a walk or not getting a borderline pitch from the umpire, Hill often takes himself out of games. It is time for Dodgers fans to start envisioning a postseason rotation without his contribution.

Verdict: Panic