The Toronto Blue Jays have made a significant move by signing All-Star reliever Jeff Hoffman to a lucrative $33 million, three-year contract. The deal was officially announced by the team on Friday night, just two days after Hoffman celebrated his 32nd birthday.
During the previous season, Hoffman had an impressive performance with the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies, where he achieved a 3-3 record with a stellar 2.17 ERA and 10 saves. His standout performance earned him his first All-Star selection in July. Hoffman also set personal bests in ERA, saves, and appearances, making 68 appearances throughout the season.
The right-handed pitcher showcased his skills by striking out 89 batters and only walking 16 in 66 1/3 innings. He held opposing hitters to a mere .197 batting average and maintained an outstanding 0.96 WHIP before entering free agency.
Toronto's general manager, Ross Atkins, expressed his excitement about adding Hoffman to the team's bullpen, highlighting his elite pitching arsenal, strike-throwing ability, and knack for striking out batters from all backgrounds. Atkins also mentioned that Hoffman would have the opportunity to close games for the Blue Jays this season, citing his track record, competitiveness, and experience as valuable assets to the team.
Hoffman, originally selected ninth overall by the Blue Jays in the 2014 amateur draft from East Carolina, has never played for Toronto at the major league level. He was traded to the Colorado Rockies in a significant deal in 2015, which brought star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins to the Blue Jays.
With a career spanning nine seasons across multiple teams, including the Rockies, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia, Hoffman has accumulated a 23-26 record with a 4.82 ERA in 256 games, including 50 starts.
Despite a strong showing in the 2023 National League Championship Series, where he pitched six shutout innings for the Phillies against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Hoffman faced challenges in the previous year's playoffs against the New York Mets, recording a 1-2 record while allowing six runs in just 1 1/3 innings over three appearances in the Division Series.
As part of his contract with the Blue Jays, Hoffman will receive a $5 million signing bonus along with salaries of $6 million for the current year and $11 million in each of the following two seasons. Additionally, he has the opportunity to earn up to $2 million annually in performance bonuses based on innings pitched.
In a corresponding roster move, Toronto designated right-hander Brett de Geus for assignment to make room for Hoffman on the team.
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