Hill emotional over LA return, 1st big contract

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Contract-signing announcements at the Winter Meetings are routine, but not for Rich Hill.

Speaking Monday after signing a three-year, $48 million deal to remain with the Dodgers, an emotional Hill choked up several times as he recounted the “incredible journey” to get to this payday, only three months from his 37th birthday.

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Hill thanked the Dodgers, his wife, Caitlyn, and his sons, Brice, who attended the news conference, and Brooks, who died from complications after birth during the spring of 2014.

“I told myself I wouldn’t do this,” Hill said, composing himself after a long pause. “It’s been an incredible journey, but I never felt like packing it all in. You fail, you learn. When you fail, you learn. I don’t think you really know what failure is — or I didn’t know what failure was until I got older and understood that that was experience. Baseball teaches us to deal with things off the field that are far greater than what you deal with on the field.”

Nothing compares to the loss of a child. But Hill’s professional career has also endured setbacks, from multiple injuries to banishments to the bullpen, and even to an independent league. Even in his breakout season of 2016, his first with double-digit victories since 2007, the lefty made only 20 starts because of finger blisters and a strained groin. Hill said he believes making 30 starts is realistic, although the Dodgers have the starting pitching depth to manage him carefully.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman felt the risk was worth making …

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