Hill (finger) was removed from his rehab start with High-A Rancho Cucamonga in the first inning, J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group reports.
Hill was originally expected to pitch four innings Thursday, so his early departure is certainly concerning. The veteran hurler wasn't sharp in his limited action, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He was only able to record two outs. It's unclear as to why he was removed early, but common knowledge (and recent history) suggests that it probably had to do with the finger blister that has plagued the 37-year-old for the better part of the past year. We'll wait for more information to follow Thursday's contest with regards to Hill's status.