Jeff Hoffman signs $33 million contract with Blue Jays
01/10/2025 08:48 PM
The Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly closing in on a contract with Jeff Hoffman on Friday afternoon. The move certainly made sense. Hoffman, a former first-round pick of Toronto, has a familiarity with the organization despite never suiting up for them. His role was to be determined, as some teams had interest in making Hoffman a starter. On Friday evening, the move to Toronto became official.
Hoffman has signed a three-year contract with the Blue Jays, the team announced. The deal is worth a total of $33 million, according to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. Toronto general manager Ross Atkins released a statement to the media following the announcement of Hoffman’s signing.
"We are excited to add Jeff to our bullpen. His arsenal, strike throwing, and ability to miss bats against all types of hitters is elite and will undoubtedly make us better. Jeff will get an opportunity to close games for us,” the Blue Jays general manager said in the statement relayed by Matheson on Friday.
Blue Jays’ Jeff Hoffman had a deal done with another team
More information about Jeff Hoffman’s free agency emerged following his contract with the Blue Jays. Hoffman had originally agreed to a contract with another team, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray. Moreover, he agreed to terms with another American League East team.
Hoffman and the Baltimore Orioles reached an agreement on a three-year contract, according to Murray. This deal was worth a total of $40 million. However, Baltimore flagged his physical, and the deal fell through. Murray reports that Hoffman’s right shoulder had an issue that the Orioles were not comfortable with.
The Orioles went ahead and signed a different reliever — Andrew Kittredge. Hoffman and his agent re-opened talks with Toronto, and the rest is history. Hoffman returns to the team that drafted him in the first round.
Hoffman was a highly touted pitching prospect coming out of the draft. He left the Blue Jays organization in 2015 when they traded for Troy Tulowitzki. He pitched for the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds before joining the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023.
With the Phillies, Hoffman emerged as one of the best high-leverage relievers in baseball. He appeared in 122 games for Philadelphia across two seasons, pitching to a 2.28 ERA. Moreover, he struck out 158 hitters, walked 35, and recorded a 3.9 bWAR. The new Blues Jays pitcher also saw his velocity tick up along while improving his control of the strike zone.
The Blue Jays have sought to make big moves over the course of the offseason. And they still may make another splash before the winter comes to an end. Let’s see if Toronto has another signing up their sleeves that could move the needle in the American League East.
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