As soon as Aaron Hill got the phone call Thursday letting him know he was leaving the Milwaukee Brewers and heading to Boston, he knew he was in for a long day, but he was excited about it.

Sox manager John Farrell told Hill he would be thrown in the mix as soon as he got to Fenway.

“He said we’ll get you here and put you in the lineup,’’ Hill said.

He had an early flight, and an even earlier alarm.

“It was a nice 4:30 wake-up call this morning,’’ he said. “That’s all right. It’ll be good.’’

When he got to the ballpark, he saw his name in the lineup, hitting eighth and playing third.

With Travis Shaw nursing a left foot contusion, Hill made his debut Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

For the 12-year veteran, who spent the first six-plus years of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays before stints in the National League with the Diamondbacks and Brewers, returning to the AL East with the Sox in the middle of a division race was a shot in the arm. He leaves a Brewers team that began the day 14½ games out of first in the NL Central.

“Honestly, I’m sure everyone says a lot of the same things when they come over here: Dream come true,’’ said Hill. “Being able to play against these guys the first five, six years of my career, it was always special visiting Fenway Park. And now to call this my family, it’s pretty impressive.’’

“I got a phone call yesterday and everyone was pretty excited. So it’s been a whirlwind of events in the last 12, 24 hours, but it’s a good thing.’’

The Sox shipped minor leaguers Wendell Rijo and Aaron Wilkerson to the Brewers for Hill, looking to add depth in the infield along with a solid righthanded bat.

“We felt, to balance our roster, maybe to better equip and match up against some lefthanders, we felt like we needed a righthanded bat on the infield,’’ Farrell said. “Aaron Hill’s a veteran guy that’s done it for a number of years. There’s some familiarity back to the Toronto days. [We’re] fortunate to be able to add a veteran like Aaron to the lineup.’’

Hill got to work quickly, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs. He dotted the Wall with a line single that drove in a run in the fourth inning. In the eighth, he shot a ground ball to right for another RBI single.

A pull hitter most of his career, Hill said he spent time this season working with Brewers hitting coach Darnell Coles and assistant hitting coach Jason Lane to use more of the field.

“That’s something that Darnell Coles and Jason Lane, we really beared down this year and really bought into just trying to be not so much a pull, I guess,’’ Hill said. “Not necessarily using the whole field, but just using a different approach. It was really neat working with him and just talking with Chili today about that. So we’ll see where it goes. Obviously it’s nice to put one off the Monster, but at the same time we don’t want to become too pull happy and make ourselves vulnerable to other pitches.’’

In 78 games with the Brewers this season, Hill hit .283 with 8 homers and 29 RBIs. He actually fared better against righthanders, hitting .292 with 6 homers and 23 RBIs. He hit .263 with two homers and six RBIs against lefthanders.

He’s thrived at Fenway, hitting .308 with seven homers and 26 RBIs in 52 games.

“As a pull hitter, it seems to have its advantages,’’ Hill said.

From afar, Hill kept an eye on the numbers the Sox’ offense was putting up.

“Obviously playing in the National League the first couple months, you’re more focused on what’s going on over there, but seeing the numbers that some of these guys have been putting up doesn’t go unnoticed,’’ he said. “I’ve heard a lot of great things and then with the stats that these guys are putting up this year, it shows.’’

Hill split time between second and third base this season, but also has played short in the past.

“That versatility allows us to give a breather when needed and to keep some guys fresh,’’ Farrell said.

Hill said he was eager to play any position.

“Whatever they need me to be, whether it’s second, short, third, doesn’t matter,’’ he said. “I mean you’re in a playoff race, contending, I’ll learn to catch if they need me to.’’

Hill’s versatility will allow him to move around the field, but his ability to hit lefthanded pitching also will help Shaw, who’s struggled against lefties this season, hitting just .211.

“A good move for our team,’’ Shaw said. “He’s a good complement. He’s a good player and I know he can help us out in a number of different positions. I don’t know what the plan is playing-wise, but he’s played multiple infield positions, righthanded hitter and he’s had a lot of success in his career.’’

Hill’s only taste of postseason baseball was in 2011 with the Diamondbacks. With the Sox beginning the night in third place in the AL East, three games behind the Orioles, Hill had his eyes on getting back.

“I don’t think anyone wouldn’t,’’ Hill said. “I think just being able to compete and be in a playoff race, this is why you compete in anything.’’

Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com.