Fastball

Toronto Blue Jays Big Acquisition Comes with Apparent Health Concerns

The Blue Jays inked Jeff Hoffman to a three-year deal, but it doesn't come without some concern.
Brady Farkas|
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park in 2024.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park in 2024. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Toronto Blue Jays

Friday was a big day for the Toronto Blue Jays, as they finally got someone to take their money. After whiffing on the likes of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, Tesocar Hernandez and Juan Soto, the Jays finally inked free agent reliever Jeff Hoffman to a three-year deal worth $33 million.

However, the deal apparently comes with some risk, according to Robert Murray of Fansided.

Hoffman and the Baltimore Orioles reached an agreement on a three-year, $40 million contract earlier this week, sources say. The Orioles, however, flagged Hoffman’s physical — two sources say it was his right shoulder — and ultimately signed right-hander Andrew Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million contract, sources say.

Look, the shoulder issue might end up being nothing, but it's certainly noteworhy for the Jays, who seem desperate to stay in contention this season. With Hoffman slated to be the team's closer, they can ill-afford to have him hurt in 2025. They missed Jordan Romano for most of last season and the bullpen fell off the rails, becoming one of the worst 'pens in the entire sport.

Hoffman was an All-Star in 2024 for the Philadelphia Phillies and ended the year at 3-3 with a 2.17 ERA in 68 appearances. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2014 but was traded to the Colorado Rockies, where he spent his first five big-league seasons. In addition to Colorado and Philadelphia, he's also pitched for the Cincinnati Reds. His move toward becoming a dominant reliever happened in 2021, when he made 34 relief appearances for the Reds.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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