Red Sox Local Boy Seemingly Ends Career After 21 Seasons

What a career it was for the former Boston Red Sox hurler...

Sep 6, 2020; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; An empty Fenway Park is seen during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox were fortunate to have veteran starting pitcher Rich Hill at points throughout his big league career.

Hill had four different stints with the organization. He pitched parts of six seasons with the organization and logged a 3.34 ERA in 74 total appearances, including 30 starts. Hill had a 186-to-60 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 188 2/3 innings pitched in Boston. Outside of his time with the Red Sox, Hill also spent time with the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and the Kansas City Royals.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Now, Hill is 45 years old and has 21 seasons of big league baseball under his belt, and it sounds like that's where he will finish his career.

Hill joined the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast with WEEI's Rob Bradford and while he didn't say he's "retiring," he did say that he doesn't have plans to pitch in 2026.

What a career

"I don’t have any plans on playing next year,” Hill said to Bradford.

Hill did acknowledge that he is looking for opportunities to stay in baseball, even if he's not playing.

"I’m looking for open possibilities to stay in the game of baseball and be a contributory factor … I enjoy the work aspect of whatever it might be that’s next,” Hill said. “I think that’s one thing that might be why athletes get hired in other positions, outside of sports, is that they’re highly driven people that want to succeed. That’s something that I’m looking forward to.”

If this really is the end of Hill's playing career in the big leagues, what a career it was. The local boy -- from Milton, MA -- went on to play 21 seasons all across the league, including near where he grew up in Boston. If this really is the end, he will finish his big league career with a 4.02 ERA in 388 total big league appearances.

More MLB: Former Red Sox Fan-Favorite Pops Up In Padres Rumors