Right-handed free agent reliever Jeff Hoffman has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a three-year, $33 million deal. The team announced the deal via social media Friday evening. In 2024 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hoffman had a 3-3 record with a 2.17 ERA and a 2.52 FIP in 68 outings. He also recorded 10 saves and 21 holds. During the 2024 season, Hoffman ranked third in fWAR among qualified National League relief pitchers. St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley and fellow Phillies relief pitcher Matt Strahm ranked ahead of him. Hoffman ranked fifth among qualified NL relief pitchers with a 5.56 strikeout-to-walk rate. He recorded a career-best 33.6% strikeout rate to go along with a new career-best 6.0% walk rate in 2024.
OFFICIAL: We’ve signed All-Star RHP Jeff Hoffman to a 3-year deal
Welcome Back, @Hoff_23! pic.twitter.com/A1tN8zOGjV
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 11, 2025
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Top Free Agent Relief Pitcher Jeff Hoffman Signs With Blue Jays
The Blue Jays were recently considered a landing spot for Hoffman leading up to this signing. The right-hander, who turned 32 years old earlier this week, has become one of the best relief pitchers in baseball over the last two seasons with the Phillies. In that span, Hoffman ranks eighth in the majors in ERA among qualified relief pitchers. Furthermore, he has the sixth-best FIP among that group between the 2o23 and 2024 seasons. Hoffman has a 4.5 fWAR going back to 2023, which ranks as the fifth-best among qualified relief pitchers. Additionally, Hoffman ranks in the top ten in ERA- and FIP- in that span among qualified relievers. Prior to joining the Phillies, Hoffman, a 2014 first round pick of the Blue Jays, was on the Colorado Rockies and the Cincinnati Reds.
Although Hoffman never pitched for the Blue Jays, he will now look to make his mark after returning to the organization that drafted him over a decade ago.
Photo Credit: © Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
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