The Phillies “stay concerned about” bringing Jeff Hoffman again, The Athletic’s Matt Gelb writes, seemingly with the concept of holding Hoffman his acquainted aid pitching function slightly than utilizing him as a beginning pitcher. Although Hoffman hasn’t labored as a starter since 2021, some golf equipment have explored the concept of including the free agent righty to their rotation slightly than to their bullpen.
Hoffman’s transition to aid pitching with the Reds in 2021 led to a right away uptick in manufacturing, and his outcomes have solely gotten higher over the past 4 seasons. Regardless of a strong 3.83 ERA in 44 2/3 innings for Cincinnati in 2022, Hoffman might solely discover minor league contracts from the Twins and (after a launch late in Spring Coaching) the Phillies, however his two seasons in Philadelphia have seen Hoffman develop right into a high-leverage pressure. Hoffman has a 2.28 ERA, 33.4% strikeout price, and seven.4% stroll price over 118 2/3 regular-season innings for Philadelphia in 2023-24, and whereas he additionally pitched effectively within the 2023 playoffs, his 2024 postseason was marred by a pair of meltdowns in opposition to the Mets within the NLDS.
Hoffman and his brokers at CAA undoubtedly took observe of the three-year, $38MM deal that Clay Holmes simply signed with the Mets, as New York intends to make use of Holmes as a rotation arm though Holmes hasn’t began a big-league recreation since 2018. The lure of an even bigger payday as a starter may affect Hoffman to look extra in that path, although he was already prone to obtain a large contract as probably the greatest relievers within the free agent market. MLBTR projected Hoffman to land a four-year, $44MM take care of the concept he could be a reliever, as our high 50 free brokers rating was written earlier than the studies surfaced about the potential of Hoffman turning into a starter.
Even when beginning pitching could deliver a bigger common annual wage, “the Phillies could make aggressive affords that include a promise of taking part in for a contender,” Gelb notes. Hoffman can be on the file about how he preferred pitching in Philadelphia, and as he enters his age-32 season, it stands to purpose that Hoffman may desire to stay within the aid function and metropolis that introduced him the primary sustained success of his nine-year MLB profession.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski first talked about his group’s curiosity in reuniting with Hoffman throughout his end-of-season press convention, with the caveat that the Phils would deliver again simply certainly one of Hoffman or Carlos Estevez. “We like them each. It’s laborious for me to think about that you find yourself bringing them each again beneath the circumstances as a result of I’d collect they’re each going to get supplied long-term, big-dollar contracts, which they’re going to be in search of,” Dombrowski stated. “I don’t see us spending that kind of cash on two relievers in our bullpen, however I’m simply unsure at this time.”
Estevez additionally stays unsigned, with the Yankees identified to be one of many groups linked to the previous All-Star nearer. Because the Phillies appear centered on including to the bullpen, it may very well be they’ll find yourself prioritizing Estevez if Hoffman certainly winds up delving extra into the beginning pitching market. Gelb’s piece didn’t point out come what may if the Phillies additionally nonetheless had curiosity in Estevez, or if Philadelphia essentially had extra curiosity in Hoffman over Estevez all issues being equal.
