The Philadelphia Phillies have had a noteworthy offseason so far. With much of their budget tied up in their star players, they’ve struggled to compete for other high-profile free agents.
As a result, the Phillies opted to trade for Miami Marlins ace Jesús Luzardo to bolster their roster.
But what about their own free agents?
Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report recently predicted that Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman will leave Philadelphia to sign a three-year, $36 million deal with the Boston Red Sox. Rymer described Hoffman as one of the most underrated free agents available.
“Jeff Hoffman was an All-Star this past year, so it’s not as if he’s some kind of mystery man,” Rymer wrote. “Still, it’s worth highlighting just how exceptional the righty has been over the past two seasons. His 2.28 ERA and 33.4% strikeout rate rank sixth and eighth among right-handed relievers, respectively.
“Hoffman’s dominance comes from two nearly unhittable pitches: an upper-90s fastball that limited hitters to a .198 average in 2024 and a slider that held batters to a .136 average over the past two years.”
Hoffman has established himself as one of the league’s premier relievers outside of closers, thriving in high-leverage situations. The Red Sox could secure his services for $10–12 million annually.
Boston, with plenty of financial flexibility after missing out on Juan Soto, has yet to make significant splashes this offseason aside from spending around $20 million to acquire Walker Buehler. Adding Hoffman to Fenway Park would be a smart investment for the Red Sox.
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