Following Family Tragedy, Rich Hill Arrives At Red Sox Camp With Heavy Heart
BOSTON (CBS) -- Reliever Rich Hill arrived at the Red Sox spring training facilities late Wednesday night with a heavy heart.
The 33-year-old Hill, a Milton native who signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox, lost his infant son, Brooks, on February 24.
"We had a son on December 26 and he was born with multiple issues that we confronted and had to deal with," Hill said, according to The Boston Globe. "Unfortunately, he succumbed. He taught us a lot of things."
"One-day-at-a-time approach, that's where we're at, to really enjoy every day," he said.
Hill expressed gratitude towards the medical staff at Mass General, and said he signed with the Red Sox during the off-season to remain close to his family.
Along with his wife and two-year-old son, Hill drove from Boston to Florida, arriving Wednesday night. He was welcomed with open arms by his teammates and the organization, and is glad to be back around baseball after such a heartbreaking loss.
"We want to enjoy our time here and make the most of the opportunity that's here to play baseball," said Hill. "Excited to be here, to be playing baseball again and get back into the normalcy of my profession and to be around a great group of guys and to just take that next step."
"The Red Sox have been tremendous," he said.
Hill pitched for the Red Sox from 2010-12 but was limited by an array of injuries. He spent last season with the Cleveland Indians, going 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA in 63 games.
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