As the Philadelphia Phillies get ready for the 2025 season, they will return to action without an important piece of their bullpen. Jeff Hoffman agreed to a three-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays last week, ending a successful two-year run in Philadelphia. Hoffman had plenty of suitors including one NL East team that Phillies fans are very familiar with.
Jeff Hoffman was dangerously close to joining the division rival Braves
Prior to signing his deal with the Blue Jays, the team that drafted him originally ninth overall in 2014, Hoffman had a five-year deal in place with the Atlanta Braves worth around $48 million that would have tied him to the organization until 2030, FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray reported on The JD Bunkis Podcast on Tuesday. The deal was never made official, however, as the Braves flagged his physical due to concerns over his shoulder.
"I would not call it a failed physical, but they had concerns over the shoulder, and they attempted to re-negotiate his contract," Murray said. "They wanted to bring him still to Atlanta and they wanted him as a starting pitcher, but they flagged him at the level of money they originally signed him for but were willing to sign him for a lesser deal."
This was also the case with the Baltimore Orioles, who later backed out of a deal due to the same concerns. This led to Hoffman taking a shorter deal with the Blue Jays as a reliever with an average annual value of around $11 million per season plus incentives. It is worth noting that the Blue Jays did not have the same concerns when adding him to their roster.
Given the fact that Hoffman was expected to see innings as a starter, it makes sense that teams were cautious with his health going forward. He has never pitched more than 100 innings in a season, with his career-high mark of 99 1/3 coming in 2017 as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Since then, his highest total was reached in 2021 when he pitched 73 innings with the Cincinnati Reds.
Throughout his career, Hoffman has posted a record of 23-26 with a 4.82 ERA in 256 games (50 starts) with the Phillies, Reds, and Rockies. These numbers are largely inflated due to a rough tenure with the Colorado Rockies as Hoffman has been one of the best relievers in baseball since 2023. In two seasons with the Phillies, Hoffman posted an 8-5 record along with a 2.28 ERA and 158 strikeouts.
Had Hoffman signed with the Braves, it would have been a huge blow to the Phillies, as Atlanta is expected to be in the conversation for the NL East division title this year. With Ronald Acuña Jr., Spencer Strider and several other key contributors expected to return from injury, Hoffman would have given the Braves more firepower as they look to bounce back from an injury-riddled season. He would have also provided the team with much-needed flexibility as a potential replacement for Max Fried or a high-end reliever in clutch situations.
Fortunately for the Phillies, they will only have two series to face the former All-Star in 2025. Hoffman will get his first crack at the Phillies in early June when the Phillies travel to the Blue Jays for a three-game series at Rogers Centre.