Jeff Hoffman signed a three-year, $33MM contract with the Blue Jays this night. The righty practically landed with a division rival. Robert Murray of FanSided reviews that Hoffman and the Orioles had agreed to phrases on a three-year, $40MM contract earlier this week. In accordance with Murray, Baltimore pulled out of the deal after the bodily revealed one thing associated to his throwing shoulder that involved the group. Shi Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet write that Baltimore continued to pursue Hoffman and made him a revised supply after backing out of the preliminary phrases, however the All-Star reliever turned his consideration elsewhere.
Groups have totally different requirements for the harm danger that they’re prepared to tolerate on potential signings or commerce acquisitions. The Orioles have a repute for being significantly attentive to the bodily. The O’s backed out of agreements with Grant Balfour and Tyler Colvin, respectively, in 2013 and ’14. They restructured their settlement with Yovani Gallardo throughout the 2015-16 offseason due to issues about his shoulder. These conditions all predated the hiring of common supervisor Mike Elias and the franchise’s sale to proprietor David Rubenstein. This might actually be coincidental.
Hoffman has not spent any time on the injured checklist during the last two years. He missed portion of the second half of 2022 due to a forearm problem. Hoffman did miss round two months in 2021 resulting from a shoulder impingement. He was sidelined between Could 27 and July 21 that season. The harm didn’t require surgical procedure.
Different groups have failed free agent physicals, after all. Probably the most well-known occasion was when the Giants and Mets every pulled out of agreements with Carlos Correa due to issues about his ankle throughout the 2021-22 offseason. The Yankees reportedly pulled out of a deadline commerce to accumulate Jack Flaherty from the Tigers final summer time due to issues about his again. That’s not a direct parallel, because the Yanks had points with Flaherty’s medical information somewhat than conducting their very own bodily.
The Flaherty scenario illustrates that totally different golf equipment’ medical departments may have diverging opinions on a participant’s well being. The Dodgers traded for the righty inside hours of the Yankees deal falling via. (Flaherty stayed wholesome for the stretch run with Los Angeles.) Hoffman’s bodily wound up costing him $7MM in assured cash, although he can earn as much as $6MM again through innings-based incentives. It’s not clear whether or not his settlement with Baltimore would have included any efficiency bonuses.
Baltimore shortly pivoted to their subsequent bullpen goal. The O’s agreed to a one-year, $10MM take care of righty Andrew Kittredge final night time. He’ll be a part of Yennier Cano, Seranthony Domínguez and Keegan Akin in entrance of nearer Félix Bautista, who’s coming back from 2023 Tommy John surgical procedure.
