As the Philadelphia Phillies gear up for the 2025 season, they’ll be missing a key piece of their bullpen. Jeff Hoffman, who had a stellar two-year stint with the Phillies, recently inked a three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This decision came after significant interest from multiple teams, including one familiar foe from the NL East.
Jeff Hoffman Nearly Became a Brave
Before finalizing his deal with the Blue Jays—who originally drafted him ninth overall in 2014—Hoffman had nearly signed a five-year, $48 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, according to FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray on The JD Bunkis Podcast. However, the Braves raised concerns about his shoulder during his physical, ultimately halting the agreement.
“I wouldn’t call it a failed physical, but they had concerns about his shoulder and tried to renegotiate,” Murray explained. “They still wanted him in Atlanta as a starting pitcher but at a lower salary than initially offered.”
The Baltimore Orioles also expressed interest in Hoffman but walked away from a potential deal for similar health concerns. These hurdles led Hoffman to accept a shorter contract with the Blue Jays as a reliever, offering an annual average salary of $11 million plus incentives. Notably, Toronto did not share the same apprehensions about his health.
Health Concerns Loom Over Hoffman’s Role
Hoffman’s health issues likely caused teams to hesitate, especially with plans to use him as a starting pitcher. He has struggled to maintain a high workload, having never pitched more than 100 innings in a single season. His career-high of 99 1/3 innings came in 2017 with the Colorado Rockies, while his most recent high was 73 innings in 2021 with the Cincinnati Reds.
Over his career, Hoffman holds a 23-26 record and a 4.82 ERA across 256 games (50 starts) with the Phillies, Reds, and Rockies. Despite his earlier struggles—largely stemming from his time in Colorado—Hoffman has emerged as one of baseball’s top relievers since 2023. In two seasons with Philadelphia, he compiled an 8-5 record, a 2.28 ERA, and 158 strikeouts.
A Near Miss for the Phillies
Had Hoffman joined the Braves, it would have dealt a significant blow to the Phillies’ chances in the NL East, where Atlanta is expected to contend for the division crown. With stars like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider returning, along with Hoffman’s potential as a starter or high-leverage reliever, the Braves could have significantly bolstered their roster after a season plagued by injuries.
Luckily for the Phillies, Hoffman landed outside the division. They’ll only face him twice during the 2025 season, with the first meeting set for June during a three-game series at Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
This move spares the Phillies from a divisional shakeup while giving the Blue Jays a valuable bullpen asset in their quest for postseason success.
