Jeff Hoffman Failed Two Physicals Before Signing With Toronto
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jeff Hoffman (shoulder) failed two physicals due to concerns with his right shoulder with the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles this offseason before eventually signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, according to a source. Both the Braves and Orioles had deals in place with Hoffman before he failed physicals with their medical staffs, with the O's having a three-year, $40 million deal set with Hoffman. The 32-year-old has been healthy since 2021, but he has gone on the injured list twice in his career with shoulder-related issues. Despite the physical concerns, the Blue Jays signed him to a three-year, $33 million deal, which means he's expected to serve as their closer in 2025, with Yimi Garcia and Chad Green serving as setup men. Given the concerns about his shoulder and the fact Hoffman only has 12 career saves in nine seasons, he'll be a shaky closing option for fantasy managers.
According to Robert Murray of FanSided.com, the Toronto Blue Jays have signed right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman to a three-year contract worth $33 million. Hoffman enjoyed a strong campaign in Philadelphia last summer as he posted a 2.17 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP across 66 1/3 innings of work. He tallied ten saves and 21 holds while being deployed as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen. Under the hood, the East Carolina product generated a 2.87 xERA and a .202 xBA which were both within the 90th percentile. In addition, Hoffman's 33.6% K rate and 35.3% whiff rate were significantly above the average marks. Earlier this offseason, the Athletic reported that several clubs viewed Hoffman as a potential starter. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training. If he were to continue to operate as a reliever, he would compete for save opportunities with Chad Green.
Free-agent pitcher Jeff Hoffman is reportedly seeking a deal in the range that fellow reliever Clay Holmes signed earlier this offseason. Holmes signed with the New York Mets on a three-year deal worth $38 million. Hoffman is hopeful to get a similar deal after posting back-to-back solid seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies. Holmes signed with the Mets in hopes of transitioning to the starting rotation. It's possibly that Hoffman wants to make a similar move considering he began his career as a starting pitcher with the Colorado Rockies. There doesn't seem to be a ton of interest in Hoffman right now, but they'll likely change once Roki Sasaki signs somewhere.
According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Philadelphia Phillies remain open to a reunion with free-agent right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman. Even after the Phillies acquired Jordan Romano to operate as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen, the Phillies have continued to express interest in Hoffman. Last season, Hoffman held a strong 2.17 ERA and 0.96 WHIP across 66 1/3 frames of relief. He struck out an impressive 89 batters and tallied 10 saves. Earlier this offseason, sources reported that a few clubs viewed Hoffman as a potential starting pitcher, which could increase his value on the open market. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on where the 32-year-old signs, as he could have a wide range of outcomes for the 2025 season as a starter or a reliever. If he returns to Philadelphia, he will likely operate as the setup man and could be in line to earn a high tally of holds.
Jeff Hoffman Could Enter Starting Rotation In 2025
Free-agent pitcher Jeff Hoffman is receiving some "industry buzz" suggesting he could operate as a starting pitcher in 2025 season, according to Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The 31-year-old was deployed exclusively out of the bullpen last summer and posted a stellar 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 16:89 BB:K. The right-hander generated an impressive 34.6% chase rate and a 33.6% strikeout rate, which placed him in the top 96th percentile in both statistics. In addition, he held a solid 2.83 xERA and a .203 xBA, which were both significantly above the average marks. Hoffman has been given opportunities to start games earlier in his career but struggled during those stints. However, given his development in Philadelphia, Hoffman may have been able to take the next step and could enjoy similar results in a rotation next season.
Philadelphia Phillies right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman (neck) didn't pitched during the team's intrasquad at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday because he came in with a "little stiff neck." However, manager Rob Thomson said the team held him back out of precaution and said "he'll be fine" for Game 1 of the National League Division Series against either the Milwaukee Brewers or division-rival New York Mets. The 31-year-old should be ready to roll out of the bullpen for the Phillies as they look to get back to the World Series for the second straight season. Hoffman is a key member of the team's bullpen as a late-inning, high-leverage arm after making his first All-Star appearance in 2024. He has gone 3-3 this season with a career-best 2.17 ERA (2.52 FIP), a 0.96 WHIP, a career-high 10 saves, a career-high 89 strikeouts and only 16 walks in 66 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman picked up his seventh save of the season in Tuesday's 6-4 win over the Cubs. Hoffman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by two with no outs and the bases empty. He promptly shut down any hopes of a comeback, getting three consecutive outs with two strikeouts. The 31-year-old has been excellent this season, converting seven of 10 save opportunities with three wins and 10 holds to go with a 1.24 ERA, an 11.39 K/9 rate, and a 1.98 BB/9 rate in 36 1/3 innings pitched. Hoffman has been the preferred late-inning arm for the Phillies lately, seeing the most save opportunities in the last 15 days. He and Jose Alvarado have pitched well this season and are both fantasy-relevant, but it looks like Hoffman has the edge for now.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman was called upon to close out Sunday's game against the Miami Marlins. The right-hander struck out one batter while throwing a scoreless inning to earn his sixth save of the season. Normally, Jose Alvarado is tasked with the closer role in Philly. However, he pitched on Saturday, so the Phillies decided to give him the day off on Sunday. Hoffman doesn't see enough save chances to warrant rostering in most fantasy formats.
Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman blew his second save of the season but earned his first win in Monday's 5-3 extra-innings win over the Cardinals. Hoffman came in to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning up by two. He got the first out on a strikeout, allowed a walk and a double, got the second out on an RBI sacrifice fly, allowed a game-tying RBI single, and finally got the third out on a groundout. The Phillies would go ahead in the top half of the inning and Gregory Soto closed the door in the bottom half to end the game. Despite the blown saves, Hoffman has pitched well overall with a 3.38 ERA, seven strikeouts, and three walks in 5 1/3 IP. The Phillies' back-of-the-rotation has been a mess, so their usage should be monitored to see if a preferred closer emerges.
The Philadelphia Phillies selected the contract of right-hander Jeff Hoffman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday and optioned right-hander Yunior Marte to Lehigh Valley in a corresponding move. The Phillies also designated right-hander James McArthur for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. Hoffman, 30, comes to the Phillies in a relief role after recording an ugly 7.00 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while walking seven and striking out 16 in nine innings over nine relief appearances for Lehigh Valley. Hoffman only has a 20.3 percent strikeout rate in seven major-league seasons and figures to operate in a low-leverage role in Philly's bullpen, making him pretty unattractive for fantasy purposes.
Jeff Hoffman
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Blue Jays
