Yankees Rumors: NYY considering Tim Hill, polar opposite reliever for 2025 bullpen

When batters make contact with 2024 Yankees left-hander Tim Hill's sidewinding slow stuff -- which they do quite often -- the ball typically doesn't carry very far. It helps to have a strong defense behind him, something Hill was able to succeed without last season in the Bronx.

Conversely, when batters make contact with lefty Andrew Chafin's stuff, it tends to go a country mile — emphasis on "country." However, in accordance with their additions of Fernando Cruz and Devin Williams, batters don't make contact with Chafin's stuff terribly often.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees are looking at both Hill and Chafin this offseason as they attempt to fill out their bullpen. Their interest in a reunion with Hill has been long-registered, but the mustachioed Chafin was first referenced on Thursday evening.

Both men have established themselves as sturdy options in a profession full of volatility, but curiously, they go about their business in opposite ways. Chafin induces whiffs and chases at an elevated rate (96th and 97th percentile), excelling at escapes, but tends to get hit hard when he finds himself in the zone (58th percentile average exit velocity). He also dances around the zone to induce whiffs, which results in an elevated walk rate (4th percentile).

Hill? He's in the 100th percentile for avoiding barrels and 74th in terms of exit velocity, but nobody scares fewer bats away from contact; he sat in the first percentile for both whiffs and Ks in 2024.

Which will the Yankees prefer next season? Based on the acquisitions they've made thus far in 2025, we'd be willing to bet it's Chafin, if the two parties are going head-to-head. Mind you, they still have a gaping hole at either second or third, depending on where Jazz Chisholm lands, which is less than ideal for crafting an airtight defense.

Still, the team's familiarity with Hill is worth noting, and they did acquire Max Fried, a similar pitcher in terms of requiring sterling infield defense for optimal success. It hasn't all been about velocity and strikeouts this offseason, though the Yankees certainly seem to have realized that trait is something they must prioritize after watching Tommy Kahnle and the middle relievers struggle in October.

Will they opt for familiarity, or a remarkable chase rate and swaggering persona? What if they choose both, each valued at similar bargains? Not hurting for lefties by midsummer could be cool.

Of course, that's how they found Hill in the first place, so they remain steadfast believers in that strategy.