John R. Ellement of the Boston Globe reports that free agent pitcher Rich Hill and his wife Caitlin were arrested outside of Gillette Stadium on Saturday prior to the start of the Bills-Patriots game. Caitlin was repeatedly trying to enter the stadium with an oversized bag and refused to leave when Foxborough police ordered her.
Rich was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest as he attempted to stop police from putting his wife into the vehicle for booking. Caitlin was charged with disorderly conduct and trespassing. Their criminal charges were changed into civil infractions by the office of Norfolk D.A. Michael Morrissey. The felony charge of resisting arrest was dropped in the “interests of justice.”
As far as reasons for being arrested go, the Hills’ Saturday ranks pretty far down the list of grievous offenses. Stadium bag policies are mostly security theater anyway.
The 39-year-old lefty is a free agent, coming off an injury-shortened season with the Dodgers. He went 4-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a 72/18 K/BB ratio over 58 2/3 innings during the regular season. Hill pitched in one postseason game, starting Game 4 of the NLDS against the Nationals, a game the Dodgers lost 6-1.
Hill is expected to miss at least the first two months of the 2020 season as he underwent left elbow surgery in October. Given his age and health issues (he turns 40 in March), Hill will likely have to settle for a one-year contract if he intends to continue pitching.
