'Determined' Hill trying brace for knee pain

NEW YORK -- In Saturday's chapter of the Rich Hill saga, the determined Dodgers left-hander said he’s found a set-up adjustment that allows him to pitch without the left knee pain that prevented him from completing the first inning in his Thursday start, which was scheduled for two innings.

“Determined is certainly Rich Hill,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I would never underestimate Rich. Where you’re at right now and you’re already compensating for something to change your delivery to mask or appease another part of your body, I haven’t wrapped my head around that concept. Right now, it’s in the training staff’s court.”

The 39-year-old Hill threw on flat ground Saturday wearing a knee brace (he pitched without it Thursday) and implemented a 45-degree angle in the starting placement if his left foot that provides the necessary drive off the rubber without placing painful torque on his knee ligament.

He said trying the adjustment while throwing off a mound in the coming off-days will be the acid test. Meanwhile, he still plans to have an MRI on the knee on Monday.

Hill struck out the first two batters in his start, but reinjured the knee throwing a sidearm curve. The next four batters went: hit by pitch, walk, hit by pitch, walk. It was his first start since sustaining a strained flexor tendon in his left forearm on July 19.

“If I can figure a way to go out there and not just be effective, but dominate and get guys out, I’ll go out there and do that,” Hill said. “I don’t want to go out there and put the team in harm’s way and not perform at my best. That’s not fair to the team, not fair to myself. At the same time, if I can figure a way around that, it’s definitely worth a shot over the next 15 games we have left.”