1:50 pm: Bowman further reported that the Warriors’ offer to Hoffman was a five-year contract with a total value of between $45-$48. The idea would have been to give Huffman a chance to step out of the rotation for the first few years of the season before potentially moving into the “pen.” The lengthy nature of the agreement suggests part of the aim is to reduce the annual value of the contract, thereby reducing the luxury hit.
1:25pm: right handed Jeff Hoffman Signed with the Blue Jays on Friday to a three-year deal with $33 guaranteed. Shortly after the Jaybirds announced the signing, reports surfaced that the Orioles had agreed to give Huffman $40MM over three years, but backed out after a physical noted a shoulder issue with Huffman. The saga continues to this day, with Mark Bowman of MLB.com reporting that the Braves also walked away from a trade for Hoffman.
There are no details on an agreement between Huffman and Atlanta. It’s unclear if this was before or after the deal with Baltimore was made. It’s also unclear what financial details were worked out between Atlanta and Huffman. Bowman did not mention specifically what issue Atlanta found during the physical, though it could be the same shoulder issue flagged by the O’s.
This is significant progress on several fronts. For Blue Jays fans, this could exacerbate concerns that have already surfaced in reports of a trade with the O’s. All teams have different thresholds for what to pay attention to or not pay attention to during physicals, but the fact that both clubs were scared off by Huffman is a bit nerve-wracking for fans of his current club. , which is understandable.
It’s worth reiterating that the Orioles don’t want to move on from Huffman entirely. According to reports last week, Baltimore continues to negotiate with Huffman after canceling the $40MM deal. This suggests that anything they find on his shoulder won’t be a deal breaker, but will lower the amount they’re willing to commit to him. It’s unclear how much the shoulder issue affected their offer, but it was presumably lower than the $33MM Huffman received from Toronto.
Time will tell if the shoulder becomes an issue for Huffman over the next three years, but there is precedent for such a situation. Carlos Correa is the most high-profile recent example, as he originally signed a 13-year, $350 million deal with the Giants before the Giants discovered an ankle problem during a physical. He eventually signed a 12-year, $315MM deal with the Mets, but that deal was also canceled due to ankle issues. That returns Correa to the Twins with $200 guaranteed over six years with four vesting options that could ultimately see Correa earn $270 over ten years. Since then, Correa’s results have been mixed. He played 135 games in 2023 with a tepid offense, then had a solid 2024 season but only played 86 games and was on the injured list due to a right oblique strain and plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
There are other recent examples of disagreements over health issues. Yankees reportedly in agreement to acquire Jack Flaherty on deadline day last year but withdrew due to concerns over medical reports regarding his back problems. The Dodgers seemed less concerned as they swooped in to grab him. Flaherty continued to stay healthy and became a key part of the club’s rotation during the Dodgers’ World Series win and postseason run.
Huffman’s case also signed with Toronto Kirby Yates years ago. Entering 2021, the Jays offered Yates $5.5MM in guaranteed money and a performance bonus, but he would need Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season. After that surgery, Atlanta reportedly walked away from offering Yates a $9MM contract, and the Jays lowered his guaranteed money from $8.5MM, both due to health concerns.
The Jayhawks reportedly felt Yates’ upside was worth the modest investment, but ultimately that didn’t pan out. In this case, it’s unclear whether the concerns are as serious as those for Yates, even though the investment is much greater. Although as stated, the O family is still willing to make some kind of investment in Hoffman, but the extent is unknown.
For Atlanta, while the details of their contact with Hoffman are unclear, it may tell us something about their next steps. If they reach a deal with Hoffman, the price could be between $35-45MM. This shows they have some money to spend and are willing to use it to upgrade their pitching staff.
Hoffman reportedly generated some interest as a starting pitcher earlier in the offseason. It’s unclear what role Atlanta wants to play, although they did convert backup players into starters Reynaldo Lopez last year. They signed Lopez to a three-year, $3MM contract and then moved him into the rotation for the 2024 season. It’s worked very well so far, with Lopez posting a 1.99 ERA in 25 starts last year.
Adding to the rotation appears to be on Atlanta’s to-do list again this winter. they lost Max Fried and Charlie Morton Join other clubs through free agency and compete with Nathan Eovaldi Although he later re-signed with the Rangers earlier this winter. On the other hand, the bullpen loses AJ Minter, Jesse Chavez and others set to become free agents while knee surgeries may remain Josh Jimenez The entire 2025 season will be played on the IL.
Atlanta has been pretty quiet this winter, largely due to cost-cutting measures. This includes abandonment Jorge SolerContract, not tender Ramon Laureanoreject an option Travis Dano and restructure Lopez and Aaron Bammer. It’s unclear exactly where they want the salary to be, but RosterResource currently projects the salary at $201 million, which is about $22 million less than the $223 million the Cot baseball contract listed on Opening Day last year. RR Atlanta’s competitive balance tax number is $217MM, which is $24MM less than the base tax threshold of $241MM.
Atlanta has paid its taxes in each of the past two years. Back in December, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos suggested the club could pay the tax again in 2025, but stopped short of explicitly saying it would do so. Given the wiggle room they currently have, it’s possible they can make a major investment or two while still staying on top.
Hoffman could have been a part of their plans, either in the rotation or in the bullpen, although they now have the opportunity to move money to someone else. There are still starters like Flaherty in free agency, Nick Pivetta and others, as well as relievers, including Tanner Scott, Kenley Johnson, David Robertson etc. A trading market might have a name like Dylan Seth and Luis Castillo As a rotation option, while Ryan Pressley and Eric Feder are some of the relief workers who can participate in trade negotiations.
