Derek Hill was just in Philadelphia over the weekend. He’s already headed back, this time as a member of the Phillies, the team announced on Thursday.
Philadelphia traded the Chicago White Sox prospects Dylan Campbell and José Colmenares and received both Hill and international bonus pool money, which, according to multiple reports, is worth $250,000. The deal isn’t earth-shattering considering it’s a relatively minor transaction; however, Hill’s addition is notable given the Phillies’ outfield situation.
Adolis García, who has started 63 games in right field for the team this season, suffered a right shoulder injury while making a throw to the plate during a win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. García’s imaging results aren’t anticipated to come back until Friday, according to MLB.com, but it’s possible he lands on the injured list.
That said, per The Athletic, Philadelphia was interested in Hill even before García’s shoulder issue. García has struggled mightily as a hitter this season. In fact, he’s batting a meager .195 with seven homers and 21 RBI. He’s struck out 84 times, the second most of any player on the team.
Phillies outfielders, collectively, have experienced significant difficulty offensively in 2026. Brandon Marsh, who’s fifth in the majors with a .326 batting average, stands out as the exception.
Hill, 30, is expected to spend time at center and right field for the Phillies when they’re facing left-handed pitching, according to The Athletic.
Hill has bounced around the big leagues since making his debut for the Detroit Tigers in 2020. This season with the White Sox, who are suddenly in first place in the AL Central, he’s slashed .213/.284/.375 with four home runs and 8 RBI. Against lefties, though, he’s hitting .245 with a .789 OPS, per MLB.com.
He’s also swiped seven bases.
“Really just a situation where we were in a little bit of a roster crunch there,” White Sox manager Will Venable said of the trade, per The Associated Press. “It speaks to D. Hill and his performance and who he is that there was a lot of interest in him, and it also speaks to where our club is at that we are able to or really needed to push a really good player off our roster.”
A roster spot was available for Hill to take once the Phillies designated right-handed reliever Jackson Rutledge for assignment.
It’s thought that Hill could be part of Philadelphia’s outfield platoon, which could also welcome prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. at some point.
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