Orioles reportedly backed out of initial deal with Jeff Hoffman after flagged physical
Jeff Hoffman’s three-year, $33 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays was officially announced on Friday, but the former Phillie was apparently close to signing with another AL East team.
According to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided, the Baltimore Orioles had an agreement with Hoffman for three years and $40 million earlier in the week, but backed out after Hoffman’s physical was flagged. His right shoulder was the issue. Per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, the Orioles tried to renegotiate the deal with Hoffman’s camp, but the 31-year-old pivoted to negotiating with the Blue Jays. The Orioles instead signed former Rays and Cardinals reliever Andrew Kittredge to a one-year, $10 million deal.
Hoffman has stayed off the injured list in each of his last two seasons with the Phillies. His last IL stint came in 2022, when he missed the last two months of the season with right forearm stiffness. Hoffman missed two months in 2021 with a right shoulder impingement.
In an interview with ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel earlier in the offseason, Hoffman said “I’m as healthy as I’ve ever been.” Teams reportedly showed interest in signing Hoffman as a starter, but it appears the Blue Jays will give him the chance to be a closer while leaving the door open to him possibly making a few spot starts.
Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said in a statement that the team is excited to add him to their bullpen and that Hoffman will “get the opportunity to close games for us.” Hoffman’s deal with the Blue Jays also comes with up to $6 million in incentives. Per McDaniel, Hoffman could earn up to $500,000 each in all three years of the deal if he pitches, 60, 70, 80 and 90 innings.
Whatever the issue was with Hoffman’s medicals, it wasn’t enough for the Orioles to completely back out of a potential deal.
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