WASHINGTON — From Kyle Schwarber’s perspective, pinch-hitting is one of the most difficult things to do in baseball.
Derek Hill takes it one step further.
“It’s the hardest thing to do in sports,” the Phillies outfielder said.
On Wednesday night, both Schwarber and Hill were called on to do it in the ninth inning, and both delivered. Schwarber, who had been on the bench with lower back tightness, drew a crucial 10-pitch walk to put the tying run aboard against the Nationals. And Hill blasted a go-ahead, two-run home run in the 5-4 win over the Washington Nationals.
After playing the unlikely hero, Hill left the Phillies clubhouse Wednesday night to see family before reporters entered, but he fielded questions pregame on Thursday about the moment.
“Obviously the guys, they fought their butts off all nine innings, so just to be able to come in there and contribute was really cool,” Hill said.
Hill, who was acquired by the Phillies on June 11 from the Chicago White Sox after Adolis García’s season ended due to injury, has three pinch-hit home runs this season. He is tied with Randal Grichuk for the most in the major leagues this year.
And he followed it up with another big ninth-inning moment in Thursday’s 10-5 win. Hill came off the bench in the seventh, and after Bryce Harper’s go-ahead homer, he launched another two-run shot to give the Phillies more insurance.
Entering Friday’s series opener against the Mets, Hill was hitting .375 with a 1.042 OPS in 24 plate appearances with the Phillies. He has collected at least one hit in the last six games he’s appeared in. Of those, he only started three.
When opportunities are few, how does he stay ready?
“I went through a lot of trials and tribulations over the last some-odd years,” Hill said Thursday. “Just kind of failing, succeeding here and there, and just being able to take little pieces out of the successes, and hopefully continue doing that.”
According to interim manager Don Mattingly, experience is the real key to success as a pinch-hitter. Hill has 39 pinch-hit plate appearances since debuting in the majors in 2020, including 18 this year.
“I think it’s hard. I think it’s easier for older guys that kind of know their swing, they walk up with a plan,” Mattingly said. “I think it is something that it’s always hard. Pinch-hitting is tough, because you get one shot.”
Making contributions like the ones Hill made in the Nationals series can certainly help a new player integrate into a clubhouse. But the 30-year-old Hill didn’t need any help in that department.
“He’s been a good guy in our clubhouse. He’s a guy that’s prepared, he’s low maintenance, ready to go at all times,” Mattingly said. “We go look for a pinch-hitter, and he’s ready with a bat in his hand, or he knows when we defend with him, and things like that.”
Added Schwarber: “He fits right in with our group.”
According to Hill, Brandon Marsh in particular has been a big help in adjusting to the Phillies. The outfielders already knew each other before the trade, having played together in the Arizona Fall League as prospects in 2019.
“We all see the work that he’s been putting in down in the cages, and he’s a phenomenal athlete and a hell of a ballplayer,” Marsh said. “We’re lucky to have him, and just being a buddy of his from a couple years ago, and seeing him throughout these past couple years, and now getting to play together has been special for us.
“He’s been awesome for us, and we’re going to need him. We’re going to keep relying on D-Hill, for sure.”
Hill said he’s taking the opportunity to learn from Marsh while he gets an up-close look at the career season Marsh has been putting together.
“Marshy is the man, obviously,” Hill said. “We kind of already have that camaraderie and everything like that. And he’s a high energy guy, and I like to think of myself as the same.”
Thursday night’s series finale against the Nationals marked the halfway point of the Phillies’ season. The year is far from over and things still need to be done before playoff races truly take shape.
But when they do, the three consecutive ninth-inning outbursts this week against the Nationals might become even more significant in hindsight. And Hill, mere weeks after being acquired in a desperation move because of García’s injury, turned out to play a crucial role in two of the comebacks.
“Every single game matters,” Hill said. “At the end of the year, you’re going to look back at a couple games and be like, those are ones that got us in, or those are the ones that didn’t get us in. So to be able to keep that focus on 162 is pretty important.”
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