The Yankees finally have a lefty in their bullpen again, and it is the one that emerged to play a key role for them late last season.
The club and Tim Hill agreed to a one-year, $2.85 million contract on Tuesday, The Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman reported, bringing back an important late-inning arm to Aaron Boone’s relief corps.
The deal includes a $2.5 million salary for 2025 and a $3 million club option or $350,000 buyout for 2026.
Tim Hill shined in The Bronx.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The veteran Hill signed with the Yankees last June, at a time when their other lefty bullpen arms were struggling, and quickly entered Boone’s circle of trust.
The side-arming ground ball specialist pitched to a 2.05 ERA across 44 innings and 35 appearances during the regular season before allowing just one earned run in 8 ¹/₃ postseason innings.
Before reuniting with Hill — who also received interest from the Mets, among other teams — the Yankees did not have a lefty in their bullpen.
But now Hill is set to join Luke Weaver, Jake Cousins, Jonathan Loaisiga, Ian Hamilton and Mark Leiter Jr. as high-leverage options to form the bridge to new closer Devin Williams.
The addition of Hill brings the Yankees’ projected luxury tax payroll to $304.7 million, per Cot’s Contracts.
Jason Szenes / New York Post
Tim Hill #54 of the New York Yankees is pulled from the game during the 6th inning.
That is above the highest luxury tax threshold of $301 million, though the Yankees could still try to get under it by dealing Marcus Stroman and shedding at least some of his $18 million salary.
With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training next Tuesday, the Yankees filled one of their last remaining holes by re-signing Hill.
They could still look to add an infielder — with Oswaldo Cabrera, DJ LeMahieu and Oswald Peraza currently slated to battle for the third base job — and a backup catcher to complement Austin Wells.
But getting Hill back likely finishes the revamping of the Yankees bullpen. Since they lost to the Dodgers in the World Series, the Yankees lost Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle and Tim Mayza to free agency, traded for Williams and Fernando Cruz and re-signed Loaisiga and Hill.
On paper, it has the potential to be a strong bullpen once again after finishing last season ranked sixth in the majors with a 3.62 ERA.
