The Orioles also bailed on Hoffman due to concerns with his shoulder.
The Braves have reportedly been in the market for relief help all winter, and according to a new report from MLB’s Mark Bowman, the club had a potential deal with reliever Jeff Hoffman before the team nixed the deal when he failed a physical with the team’s medical staff.
Per a source, Jeff Hoffman had a potential deal that was nixed when he failed a physical with the Braves’ medical staff. Hoffman also reportedly failed a physical with the Orioles before signing with the Blue Jays
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) January 13, 2025
As Bowman and others note, the Baltimore Orioles also reportedly bailed on handing Hoffman a contract due to medical concerns about his shoulder. The Toronto Blue Jays ultimately signed Hoffman for 3/$33M with incentives for innings pitched.
Hoffman, 32, was one of the game’s top relievers with Philadelphia the past two seasons. He came into the offseason looking for a potential chance to start in the rotation — similar to what Reynaldo Lopez did with the Braves last year — and seemingly had a robust market before the medical concerns arose. It speaks volumes that at least two organizations did not feel comfortable with a significant contract commitment.