Phillies 'would love' to reunite with $33M All-Star reliever in trade with Blue Jays

Phillies ‘would love’ to reunite with $33M All-Star reliever in trade with Blue Jays originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Philadelphia Phillies need some bullpen help this season, as Brad Keller is likely done for the 2026 season, and potentially most of the 2027 season as well.

Add in that Taner Banks, Jose Alvarado, and others have struggled a bit this season out of the bullpen, and the team really needs some more help there. The trade deadline is their chance to upgrade this part of the roster.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Phillies “would love” to trade for one reliever from the Toronto Blue Jays in a reunion with $33 million former All-Star Jeff Hoffman.

Phillies ‘would love’ to reunite with Jeff Hoffman in a trade

“They are in desperate need of a late-inning reliever, and would love to bring back Jeff Hoffman of the Toronto Blue Jays,” Nightengale writes.

Hoffman, the now 33-year-old right-handed reliever, was once an All-Star with the Phillies back in 2024 when he posted a 2.17 ERA in 68 appearances.

But this season, he has a 4.40 ERA in 46 games for the Blue Jays, as he’s struggled quite a bit since leaving Philadelphia.

He posted a 4.37 ERA in 2025 for Toronto and blew their World Series chances in Game 7 as well. During his MLB career in the postseason between the Phillies and Blue Jays, he has a 4.35 ERA.

While Hoffman has some concerning numbers this season and last, along with in the postseason, he’s someone who could make sense for the Phillies in a trade.

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Since he’s making $33 million over three years ($11M per year) on his deal, with one more year of control through 2027, the Blue Jays likely can’t ask for too much in return.

The Phillies could have the Blue Jays foot more of the bill, though that would increase the trade cost of Hoffman. Regardless of how they try to acquire him, Hoffman shouldn’t be too expensive to trade for.

Nightengale is reporting the Phillies “would love” to trade for him. Between his struggles for Toronto and his big contract, he should be reasonably affordable in a trade this summer.

He’s someone Phillies fans should reacquaint themselves with, as there’s a real chance Hoffman returns to Philadelphia by the August 3 deadline.

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