KC Royals will help set MLB record with latest historic call-up

The Kansas City Royals have found themselves in a bit of bind on the mound recently. While their starting rotation still holds the second best ERA in baseball and their pitching staff as whole also sits second, injuries have forced them to a point where soke roster creativity is required.

With ace Cole Ragans already on the shelf with a left rotator cuff strain, the Royals were also forced to add Michael Lorenzen to the injured list over the All-Star break with an oblique strain. While Lorenzen will hopefully only miss a start or two, with their go-to stop-gap option out of the bullpen in Daniel Lynch IV also down with a left elbow nerve irritation, who would be starting Tuesday's game in Chicago remained up in the air.

Amid Kansas City's chaotic situation on the mound, they may have found their answer on Monday, as FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray reported that the team is set to call up MLB journeyman Rich Hill from Triple-A Omaha.

In doing so, the Royals will also manage to be involved in a bit of history, as when the 45-year-old makes an appearance in the blue and white, he'll hold a unique place in MLB's record books.

KC Royals make a bit of MLB history with Rich Hill call-up

While the news is still yet to be officially announced by the team, should Hill manage to take the mound for Kansas City, he'll tie Edwin Jackson's record for most big league franchises played for in a a career at 14. He's already one of just four names to play for at least 13, alongside Jackson, reliever Octavio Dotel and early-1900s right-hander Roosevelt Davis.

To a lesser degree, but still a historic one nonetheless, Hill will also become just the 118th player in MLB history to have their big league career span into a third decade (21+ seasons). 118 may sound like a lot at first, however when you take into account the league's history spans back well into the 1800s it becomes rather impressive.

Hill signed on with the Royals on a minor league deal back on May 14 in what seemed to be a puzzling move at the time. He hadn't fared well in his limited run with the Red Sox the year prior - 4.91 ERA in 3.2 innings in 2024 - and was on the wrong side of 45.

However, even if his ERA with the Storm Chasers sits in the mid-5.00s so far this season, he's shown flashes of excellence - including three starts with eight or more strikeouts - and certainly does not lack time under the pressure-filled big league spotlight.

For his career, Hill sports a 90-74 record across 1409.0 innings pitched, with a 4.01 ERA, 4.08 FIP, 1.26 WHIP and 1428 strikeouts.

Hill had a chance to opt-out of his minors deal with Kansas City back in June, but instead chose to stay put within the organization, and his decision seems set to pay off.

With the team yet to make the promotion official, there's still plenty to be confirmed, such as how exactly the Royals will use him, who he'll be replacing on the 26-man roster and who he'll be ousting from the currently full 40-man roster. That impending team announcement should answer at least most of those questions though.