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.
The Minnesota Twins granted right-hander Jeff Hoffman his release on Tuesday, per an out in his contract. Hoffman throws hard from the right side and was decent in four Grapefruit League relief appearances for the Twins this spring, but he'll be looking for a new opportunity with Opening Day quickly approaching this Thursday. In his last three spring outings, he didn't allow a hit or a run while striking out six in four innings. The 30-year-old will have to settle for a minor-league deal with another club after not making Minnesota's Opening Day roster. He had a 3.83 ERA (4.30 FIP), 1.41 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched over 35 outings (one start) for the Cincinnati Reds last year.
Former Cincinnati Reds right-hander Jeff Hoffman signed with the Minnesota Twins on a minor-league deal with an invite to Spring Training. If Hoffman makes the majors, he will earn $1.3 million, and the deal also includes three opt-outs throughout the season. The 30-year-old spent his 2022 campaign with the Reds and molded a 3.83 ERA (4.30 FIP) with 45 punchouts across 44 2/3 innings. His WHIP (1.41) slimmed down a notch from 2021, and his strikeout rate dropped two ticks (22.8%). Hoffman looked much sharper on the mound this past season, which could indicate a breakout. He will serve some role for Rocco Baldelli's bullpen and could work for more appearances if things go right. However, Hoffman is mainly a flier in deep league formats.
Jeff Hoffman Moved To 'Pen, Vladimir Gutierrez To Start Tuesday
The Cincinnati Reds are moving back to a five-man starting rotation, and right-hander Jeff Hoffman will move to the bullpen. Vladimir Gutierrez, who returned on Friday after recently being optioned to the minors, will start on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. Hoffman allowed five runs over four innings in his latest start against the New York Mets on Wednesday and has an unattractive 5.20 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and 39 strikeouts in 45 innings of work for the Reds. He is off the fantasy radar for now with the move to relief. Gutierrez hasn't been much better with his 4.97 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 37 K's in 54 1/3 innings over 10 starts in 2021. The 25-year-old right-hander will only be an attractive deep DFS sleeper as a streamer next week if the Cubs sell off some of their big bats by then.
