Jeff Hoffman Signed a three-year, $33MM contract with the Blue Jays tonight. The right-hander nearly crashed against a division rival. FanSided’s Robert Murray reports that Huffman and the Orioles reached an agreement on a three-year, $40MM deal earlier this week. According to Murray, Baltimore backed out of the deal after a physical revealed some issues related to his throwing shoulder, which raised concerns among the organization.
Teams have different standards for how much injury risk they are willing to take on future signings or trade acquisitions. The Orioles are known for their emphasis on physical fitness. O quit with Grant Balfour and Tyler Colvinin 2013 and ’14 respectively. They reorganized with Yovani Gallardo During the 2015-16 offseason due to his shoulder issues. These situations all occurred before the hiring of general manager Mike Elias and the sale of the team to owner David Rubenstein. This could of course be a coincidence.
Huffman hasn’t spent any time on the injured list the past two years. He missed most of the second half of 2022 due to a forearm issue. Hoffman did miss about two months in 2021 with a shoulder impingement. He missed the season from May 27 to July 21. The injury does not require surgery.
Of course, other teams have failed free agent physicals as well. The most famous examples are the Giants and Mets each withdrawing from the Carlos Correa Because of his ankle issues in the 2021-22 offseason. Yankees reportedly cancel deadline deal to acquire Jack Flaherty Left the Tigers last summer with back issues. It’s not a direct parallel, as the Yankees had questions about Flaherty’s medical records rather than conducting their own physical.
Flaherty’s situation shows that medical departments at different clubs may have different views on a player’s fitness. The Dodgers traded the righty within hours of the Yankees trade falling through. (Flaherty stayed healthy against Los Angeles.) Hoffman’s physical injury cost him $7MM in guaranteed money, although he could earn up to $6MM through innings-based incentives. It’s unclear whether his deal with Baltimore includes any performance bonuses.
Baltimore quickly moved on to their next bullpen target. The O’s agree to one-year, $10 contract with righty Andrew Kitteridge last night. he will join Yenikano, Serantoni Dominguez and Keegan Akin in front of someone closer Felix BautistaTommy John is set to return in 2023 after surgery.
