After making a splash by bringing in Nelson Cruz on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays are close to making another deal Friday, trading left-hander Rich Hill to the New York Mets. Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report the trade.
Source: Mets close to acquiring Rich Hill.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) July 23, 2021
Hill, who signed a one-year deal with the Rays at the start of Spring Training, had been 6-4 with a 3.87 ERA in 19 starts, but had seen his ERA jump from 0.78 in May to 4.75 in June, and was at 4.97 in three starts in July.
Tampa Bay will get reliever Tommy Hunter, who is currently on the 60-day injured list, and minor-league catcher Matt Dyer, who the Mets drafted in the fourth round in 2020, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
So it is Tommy Hunter and Matt Dyer to the Rays for Rich Hill. #mets
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 23, 2021
Hunter spent 2017 with the Rays, going 3-5 with a 2.61 ERA in 61 appearances that season. He signed a three-year deal with the Phillies in 2018 and moved on to the Mets this season.
The Mets have confirmed the deal.
We’ve acquired left-handed pitcher Rich Hill from Tampa Bay in exchange for right-handed pitcher Tommy Hunter and minor league catcher Matt Dyer. https://t.co/P24Fo2HoYd
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 23, 2021
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
