Hill’s starting position was just on the other side of second base. He would need to deliver an extraordinary effort to have an outside chance at a play on what would have been the go-ahead run.
The newest Phillies sparkplug got a good jump on the ball and started a full sprint toward the warning track. Hill lept without slowing or hesitating; his jump was timed perfectly, and he snagged the ball high above the right-center field wall.
“It is the best one I’ve seen in person,” Wheeler told reporters when asked about Hill’s catch. “Luckily, I was pitching and got that one… I mean, that won the game right there.”
In last night’s game, his heroics didn’t stop with the catch. Hill also singled and came around to score the go-ahead run in the seventh.
Despite appearing in just his 12th game with the Phillies, it is not the first time he has won them a game. Hill has had a stellar week, including two ninth-inning home runs, one being of the pinch-hit, go-ahead variety.
Not known for his offense, Hill’s stellar start is not something Phillies fans are used to. In his first 11 contests since joining Philadelphia, he recorded an OPS of 1.042. Neither Adolis García in 2026 nor Nick Castellanos in 2025 hit for an OPS that high during any 11-game sample.
“It’s been great,” Hill told Tim Kelly of OnPattison when asked whether he’s had a better 72 hours. “These guys have opened the door for me, welcomed me in with open arms and everything like that, so it’s been great. I’ve got nothing but great things to say about the fanbase, the staff, the players — it’s been awesome.”
Hill added that he does not go back and watch things after games, despite the fanfare around it. “I just like to turn the page and move on to the next thing because tomorrow is coming and they’re a good team over there”
One thing is for sure, Hill may not go back to relive the moment, but it is a moment that Phillies fans and Zack Wheeler will not soon forget.