Dodgers re-sign Rich Hill to 3-year, $48 million contract

LOS ANGELES — After pitching for parts of 12 major league seasons and for 10 different major league organizations, Rich Hill finally has his big payday in baseball. Heading into his age-37 season, the veteran left-hander has signed with the Dodgers on a three-year deal, the team announced on Monday.

Hill will make $48 million over the three years, per Andy McCullough of the LA Times, which is right in line with what was reported on Saturday when the deal was close.

Hill was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2016, when he was on the mound. He was 12-5 with a 2.12 ERA in 20 regular season starts between the A’s and Dodgers, with 129 strikeouts and 33 walks in 110⅓ innings. His ERA was second in the majors among pitchers in at least 100 innings, bested only by Clayton Kershaw.

Hill was limited to just 20 starts thanks to a minor groin injury and blister problems, but even then his 110⅓ innings were his most pitched since 2007, when he pitched 195 innings for the Cubs. But in the eight years in between, Hill totaled only 182 innings, and in his career has only pitched a total of 610⅓ major league innings.

But despite his advanced age and spotty long-term track record, Hill’s performance made him stand out in a particularly weak pitching market and contributed to him getting a three-year deal.

Hill made $6 million on a one-year deal signed with the A’s before the 2015 season.

The Dodgers acquired Hill along with outfielder Josh Reddick from Oakland on Aug. 1 in exchange for pitchers Frankie Montas, Jharel Cotton and Grant Holmes.

Hill made only six regular season starts during the regular season for Los Angeles, but three of them were scoreless, including seven perfect innings on Sept. 10 in Miami. Hill with the Dodgers had a 1.83 ERA with 39 strikeouts and just five walks in 34⅓ innings.

In the postseason, Hill posted a 3.46 ERA in three starts, including six scoreless innings to beat the Cubs in Game 3 of the NLCS. Hill struck out 19 and walked six in 13 innings in October.

With this signing, the Dodgers now have 40 players on their 40-man roster.