Starter or reliever? Stay with the Phillies or go elsewhere? All-Star Jeff Hoffman opens up on free agency
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Kiley McDaniel, ESPN MLB Insider
Jeff Hoffman is one of the most sought-after relievers in this offseason’s free agent class after a dominant run with the Philadelphia Phillies, but it took an incredible career turnaround to get him here.
On the eve of the 2023 season, the former No. 9 overall pick failed to make the Minnesota Twins‘ Opening Day roster and became a free agent. He had just 0.9 career WAR at the time — and 0.0 WAR in his previous five seasons. But he caught on with the Phillies on a minor league deal and went on a two-year tear after being added to the major league roster in May 2023, posting 3.5 WAR that ranks fifth in the majors among relievers in that span. Now, he is poised to cash in after rediscovering what made him a high draft pick in the first place.
There are a number of questions as the 31-year-old right-hander prepares for his offseason payday: how he made this turnaround, if he wants to transition back to being a starting pitcher, if the vibes in Philly are strong enough to compel him to return and what his priorities are in finding a new club.
I caught up with Hoffman as he chooses his next home (or decides to stay in his current one).
How Hoffman turned it around
To understand how Hoffman reinvented himself in Philadelphia, you first must understand where things started to go wrong. Hoffman went from a top prospect to a struggling young pitcher with the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds.
After being selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2014 draft while recovering from Tommy John surgery, he made 13 minor league starts the next season before being dealt to Colorado in the Troy Tulowitzki trade. Hoffman made the big leagues in 2016 with the Rockies and posted a solid 1.1 WAR campaign in 2017, primarily as a starter (99⅓ innings, 4.76 ERA). After that, though, he was either injured or ineffective, including two seasons with the Reds and a spring training with the Twins. Hoffman doesn’t mince words on what held him back early in his professional career, pointing to the instruction he was given and his attempt to integrate it all.
“I was fed a lot of mechanical bulls— through my early years, coaches trying to make their mark,” Hoffman said. “[Mechanics] was like the ball and chain I was tied down to. If I would have picked and choosed through that stuff, I wouldn’t have ended up wasting a few years early in my career. … I’m a learner, I’m a listener, I took a few too many of the mechanical cues, always trying to please and be respectful of whoever is giving the information.”
Still, Hoffman believes the gradual accumulation of new parts of his game ultimately helped turn him into an All-Star. He just needed to fine-tune what he had picked up along the way and learn to pitch without having too many intrusive thoughts (and outside voices) in his head.
“When I stopped thinking about ‘Where’s my front side?’ or ‘When is my heel on the ground?’ and all that B.S., I was able to improve my command, my velocity got better and I’m not necessarily trying to throw hard now, that’s just how it’s coming out,” he said. “My body is moving the way I want to move.”
The pitch mix that figures to get him an eight-figure contract this winter started with things he implemented during his turbulent times in Colorado and Cincinnati.
“In Colorado, I introduced a splitter. It wasn’t a true splitter, more of a splitter-changeup. It wasn’t coming out as hard, I didn’t throw it as much as I should have,” Hoffman said. “I had always thrown a curveball. I was always attached to it. I didn’t mess with a slider much, then Cincinnati brought a slider to me, trying to get the velo up. I couldn’t get it up to 86-88 miles per hour to match the splitter, I was really fighting with that. … ‘Why can’t I do that if I’m throwing my fastball 95 miles per hour?'”
How Hoffman dominates
Had the Twins taken just a little bit more time to see what they had, perhaps Hoffman’s breakout would have come in Minnesota instead of Philadelphia. He points to that spring with Minnesota as the first time he felt like the same pitcher who had impressed scouts as a draft prospect.
“It was the beginning of my delivery getting back to what it looked like in college. My stuff was coming out better and more explosively, getting ugly swings again, good positive signs.
“If you look at me now vs. Cape Cod and early in my career … I now look a lot more similar to my college career than how I looked in Cincinnati and Colorado. I’ve completely shed some of that early minor league stuff that I was given.”
When considering why free agent Jeff Hoffman is getting attention as a starter, I dug into my old scouting notes/video for this dandy from the Cape on July 17, 2013.
7.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 K
He was sitting 93-97 mph with life, dropping hammers and mixing in a few changeups. pic.twitter.com/dJPWK5BMxN
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) November 20, 2024
Hoffman’s stuff was so nasty during his time in the prospect-filled Cape Cod League that watching him pitch there in 2013 remains among the most impressive amateur starts I have scouted.
But there is one area where Hoffman clearly exceeds even that early version of himself. He has the Twins to thank for unlocking the velocity that has made the slider his signature pitch.
“Pete Maki [Twins pitching coach in 2023] said let’s try a cutter. Throw it like a fastball then flick left at the end. It was terrible but it was 89 miles per hour in a bullpen session. ‘Oh s—, that works!’ It was just a chase to repeat the velo, even if I gave up a home run, just throw it 89 miles per hour and call it a slider. Day by day, chasing that … sometimes it just takes a mental cue, and you are behind the ball instead of beside it [at release].”
Armed with a mid-90s fastball and an upper-80s slider and split when he joined the Phillies’ bullpen, Hoffman was ready to be unleashed.
“Fastball, slider, split all feel the same out of my hand, just the grip changes,” Hoffman said. “They all come out like I’m throwing 100 [mph] down the middle and the grip and spins take care of the movement. The force on which fingers is the key.”
He thinks of his arsenal as four fastballs that all move in different directions. “My splitter is no longer [an] off-speed pitch, it’s just a different version of my fastball. My sinker is a bowling ball type fastball, the slider is one that moves left. I view my split as a split-finger fastball and not a forkball, that’s important. … It helps me to have a high velo floor on everything.”
Hoffman had a history of worse-than-average walk rates until landing with the Phillies. That, too, was more of an approach issue than a physical one. “There are command pitchers and stuff pitchers, don’t ask one to be the other.”
“Like in golf, aim for the center so you can miss a bit right or left,” Hoffman said. “I don’t think I’m a command pitcher but I’m not bad at throwing strikes. I’m going to beat you because it’s too hard for the hitter to make the decision.”
You probably don’t expect a late-inning, fire-breathing reliever with swing-and-miss stuff to be that focused on throwing the ball in the strike zone, but it’s key to how Hoffman attacks.
“I think about the hitter being defensive to what I’m doing, not trying to perform the perfect pitch. It’s a game of swing decisions and I want to put pressure on those decisions. I can get swings off the plate because they know I’m challenging them and coming into the zone.”
Hoffman doesn’t look at a ton of dense information after the game, instead he measures himself by three metrics: in-zone miss rate, zone rate, and barrel rate. “I like to keep it 88 miles per hour and lower. If I start giving up 95-plus [mph exit velo batted balls], all it takes is the right trajectory and it could be out of the park. Late in the game, you can’t be giving that up. Starters are told the solo home run won’t kill you. As a reliever, the solo home run kills you.
“What I’ve taken from all the stats, video, study, and Edgertronic video is that the way the ball comes out of your hand helps you really understand why the pitches move the way they do. It makes it easier to make adjustments and it’s a game of adjustments. You don’t necessarily have your best stuff every night but need to make it work.”
Starter or reliever?
While Hoffman ranks near the top of the list of relievers in this winter’s class, there is growing industry chatter that teams are kicking the tires on him as a starter — if he’s interested in signing on for a new role.
“I think I would be a great starter if given that opportunity again,” Hoffman said. “It was cool seeing what [Reynaldo Lopez and Jordan Hicks] did last year and, for me with how healthy I am and what I’ve done the last few years with my arsenal, it’s an interesting thought. … It makes sense that guys with deeper arsenals than most relievers have found success.”
Hoffman understands that returning to a major league rotation for the first time since Colorado moved him to the bullpen following the 2019 season would be a unique test. He also knows there is an unmatched feeling to pitching in the pressure-packed high-leverage situations he has thrived in the past two seasons.
“Until it got brought back up [by interested teams], I assumed that ship had sailed. … It would be totally different than the first go round. I feel like I’m 24 years old again. … I’m moving the way I’m supposed to now. I view [starting] as a great challenge. I’m as healthy as I’ve ever been. I would welcome the opportunity. … I love pitching out of the bullpen and late in games, too.”
He’s open to a new career twist, but he’s also quite happy with who has become.
“All things being equal, I want to get the last out.”
What Hoffman wants this winter
Hoffman has more to weigh this winter than signing as a starting pitcher or as a reliever.
During his time in Philadelphia, he became accustomed to pitching in the biggest spots for one of the best teams in baseball, in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in the sport. Those factors make a return to the Phillies a strong possibility.
“It’s hard to even explain what it feels like pitching in Philly, because of the noise, how in tune with the game [the fans] are, it feels like the field surface is alive,” he said. “When the big moments happen, you can hear it from the ground up, like the stadium has the same heartbeat as you.”
If Hoffman does leave the Phillies for a new team, he’ll be looking for an organization with similar priorities.
“The thing that’s most important to me is being on a contender, playing deep into October,” he said. “Playing meaningful baseball, it makes the clubhouse that much more enjoyable when everyone is playing for the same thing. That’s what I want out of my next situation.”
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun with 16 teams looking to be the last one standing after four grueling rounds of playoff hockey action. The Florida Panthers return to defend their championship, but will have to contend with regular-season powerhouses including the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Panthers first have to contend with their cross-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning, but got off to a strong start in Game 1 with 6-2 road win. The victory saw the Panthers leapfrog several teams to be given the second-shortest odds behind only the Carolina Hurricanes, who have emerged as the Eastern Conference favorites thanks to a 2-0 series lead over the banged-up New Jersey Devils.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, looking to snap the longest championship drought in NHL history, are up 2-0 on their provincial rivals, the Ottawa Senators, and are now among the top five favorites. The Capitals took care of business in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens with Alex Ovechkin scoring his first career playoff OT winner and followed it up with a Game 2 victory to take a commanding series lead.
In the West, two of the favorites clash in the first round as the Dallas Stars take on the Colorado Avalanche with the teams trading wins in Games 1 and 2, followed by a Game 3 road win by the Stars which saw the teams essentially trade places in the odds race. The Jets have a 2-0 series lead on the St. Louis Blues, while the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild traded wins in Games 1 and 2. The Oilers lost both their road games to the Los Angeles Kings, who are considered the favorite in this series, and must now win at home to get back into the race.
Last year’s Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Connor McDavid, won the top award for playoffs MVP despite his team not winning the championship. This year, he hopes to win it again, but on a happier note. Below, you can see all of the top favorites for Conn Smythe, as well as the odds for every team to win their opening-round series, advance to, and to win the Stanley Cup.
All odds accurate as of publish time. For more, go to ESPN BET. 
Odds to win Conn Smythe trophy
The Conn Smythe is awarded to the player deemed to have been the most valuable to his team throughout the playoffs. Players listed with 200-1 odds or better. More odds available at ESPN BET..
Connor Hellebuyck, Jets: 12-1
Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes: 15-1
Jack Eichel, Golden Knights: 16-1
Anthony Stolarz, Maple Leafs: 18-1
Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche: 18-1
Aleksander Barkov, Panthers: 20-1
Alex Ovechkin, Capitals: 20-1
Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs: 20-1
Matthew Tkachuk, Panthers: 20-1
Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes: 20-1
Adrian Kempe, Kings: 25-1
Cale Makar, Avalanche: 25-1
Darcy Kuemper, Kings: 25-1
Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes: 25-1
Jake Oettinger, Stars: 25-1
Mitch Marner, Maple Leafs: 25-1
Nikita Kucherov, Lightning: 25-1
Andrei Vasilevskiy, Lightning: 30-1
Connor McDavid, Oilers: 30-1
Kyle Connor, Jets: 30-1
Logan Thompson, Capitals: 30-1
Mark Scheifele, Jets: 30-1
Sam Reinhart, Panthers: 30-1
Sergei Bobrovsky, Panthers: 30-1
Tomas Hertl, Golden Knights: 30-1
Anze Kopitar, Kings: 40-1
Leon Draisaitl, Oilers: 40-1
Logan Stankoven, Hurricanes: 40-1
Adin Hill, Golden Knights: 50-1
Brayden Point, Lightning: 50-1
Dylan Strome, Capitals: 50-1
Kevin Fiala, Kings: 50-1
Kirill Kaprizov, Wild: 50-1
Mackenzie Blackwood, Avalanche: 50-1
Mark Stone, Golden Knights: 50-1
William Nylander, Maple Leafs: 50-1
John Tavares, Maple Leafs: 60-1
Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes: 75-1
Jaccob Slavin, Hurricanes: 75-1
Matt Boldy, Wild: 75-1
Mikko Rantanen, Stars: 75-1
Pavel Dorofeyev, Golden Knights: 75-1
Roope Hintz, Stars: 75-1
Wyatt Johnston, Stars: 75-1
Brady Tkachuk, Senators: 100-1
Connor McMichael, Capitals: 100-1
Filip Gustavsson, Wild: 100-1
Jason Robertson, Stars: 100-1
Linus Ullmark, Senators: 100-1
Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 100-1
Nico Hischier, Devils: 100-1
Pyotr Kochetkov, Hurricanes: 100-1
Quinton Byfield, Kings: 100-1
Sam Bennett, Panthers: 100-1
Tim Stutzle, Senators: 100-1
Brandon Hagel, Lightning: 150-1
Jacob Markstrom, Devils: 150-1
Jake Guentzel, Lightning: 150-1
Jordan Binnington, Blues: 150-1
Joseph Woll, Maple Leafs: 150-1
Martin Necas, Avalanche: 150-1
Matt Duchene, Stars: 150-1
Pierre-Luc Dubois, Capitals: 150-1
Shea Theodore, Golden Knights: 150-1
Thomas Harley, Stars: 150-1
Tom Wilson, Capitals: 150-1
Valeri Nichushkin, Avalanche: 150-1
Victor Hedman, Lightning: 150-1
Aliaksei Protas, Capitals: 200-1
The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs have already included some twists and turns, including long-injured players returning to the ice and others playing through various ailments.
Two teams carry 2-0 leads into Game 3 on Thursday, and history is on their side: according to ESPN Research, teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have gone on to win 86% of the time.
Will that be the case for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets? Or can the Ottawa Senators and St. Louis Blues notch victories at home?
Plus, will the Florida Panthers win another game in the Tampa Bay Lightning‘s barn? And which team will win a pivotal Game 3 of the Vegas Golden Knights–Minnesota Wild series?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Wednesday’s games, and the Three Stars of Wednesday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning
Game 2 (FLA leads 1-0) | 6:30 p.m. ET | TBS
With the Panthers up 1-0, ESPN BET has adjusted the series line to install Florida as the series favorite at -210, whereas the line was -115 before Game 1.
Matthew Tkachuk made his return after more than two months on the shelf, and scored two goals to help the Panthers take Game 1 in the Battle of Florida. Matthew and brother Brady both scored goals Tuesday, which was the 83rd time in Stanley Cup playoffs history that a pair of brothers scored on the same day, the most recent being Marcus and Nick Foligno on April 21, 2023.
Sergei Bobrovsky has backstopped the Cats to many playoff wins recently, and the Game 1 win was his 45th, putting him fifth all-time in playoff wins for goalies born outside North America. The leader? His opponent Andrei Vasilevskiy, with 66.
Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading point-scorer in the regular season, but was limited to just one assist in Game 1. Will that trend continue?
Toronto Maple Leafs at Ottawa Senators
Game 3 (TOR leads 2-0) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2
The Maple Leafs have won just one playoff series in the past 20 years, but they are halfway to doing so here in the Battle of Ontario. Oh, and speaking of decadeslong droughts, this is the first time the Leafs have held a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series since the 2002 series against the New York Islanders (which they won in seven games).
Max Domi was the overtime hero for the Leafs in Game 2, which was his first playoff OT goal. His father Tie played 98 playoff games in his NHL career, and never had one — albeit in a career where he was known more as a pugilist than a scorer.
Toronto’s Core Four continue to drive the train. John Tavares (two goals, two assists), Mitch Marner (one goal, three assists), William Nylander (one goal, two assists) and Auston Matthews (three assists) are in the top four positions on their stats sheet heading into Game 3. They’ve also gotten strong play from goaltender Anthony Stolarz, who became the sixth netminder in Leafs history to win his first two playoff games with the franchise — Ken Wregget, Mike Palmateer, Bernie Parent, Frank McCool and Lorne Chabot are the others.
One pathway to a comeback for Ottawa is for goaltender Linus Ullmark to steal a game or two. The 2023 Vezina Trophy winner has allowed nine goals on 45 shots through two games, a save percentage of .800. Ullmark allowed just two goals on 50 shots in two games against Toronto in the regular season, both of which were wins for Ottawa.
Vegas Golden Knights at Minnesota Wild
Game 3 (series tied 1-1) | 9 p.m. ET | TBS
Why is this game so important? The winner of Game 3 in a series tied 1-1 has gone on to win 66% of the time in Stanley Cup playoff history (240-123).
The Wild didn’t want to take any chances in Game 2, scoring three first-period goals and keeping the Knights at arm’s length for the remainder of the game. Kirill Kaprizov reminded everyone why he was a Hart Trophy favorite before getting injured this season, scoring two goals and adding a ridiculous assist on Matt Boldy‘s goal. Kaprizov’s second goal tied him with Marian Gaborik for the second-most playoff goals in Wild history, with 12, four behind Zach Parise.
On the Vegas side, “Playoff” Tomas Hertl has shown up, scoring a goal in each of the first two games. The longtime San Jose Shark is the fourth different player to score a goal in his first two games with the Golden Knights, a list that includes Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault.
The Knights are also hoping this is just a bump in the road for goaltender Adin Hill. He has an .833 save percentage through two games; that figure was .931 in three games last postseason and .932 in 14 starts during their Stanley Cup run in 2023.
Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues
Game 3 (WPG leads 2-0) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
One other bit of history working against the Blues: Presidents’ Trophy winners that have won Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-seven series have gone on to win that series 95% of the time (tracked since 1985-86).
The Blues will want to track Kyle Connor closely if the game hangs in the balance. He has scored the game-winning goal in both games thus far, giving him five in his career, passing Paul Stastny for the most in Jets 2.0/Atlanta Thrashers history.
St. Louis rookie Jimmy Snuggerud — who was playing for the University of Minnesota earlier this spring — became the second rookie to notch a goal this postseason, joining Carolina’s Logan Stankoven.
Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou — who led the Blues in regular-season scoring and both tallied goals in Game 1 — were held pointless in Game 2.
Arda’s three stars from Wednesday night
Sometimes the stat lines don’t matter. The Avs captain returning to the NHL for the first time since lifting the Cup in 2022 is a moment that transcends one team, and is celebrated throughout the hockey world. Welcome back, Gabe!
1:22
Gabriel Landeskog makes triumphant return to Avs after 3-year absence
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog makes his return for the Avalanche after nearly three years on the sidelines due to a chronic knee injury.
Kempe scored two goals and added two assists as the Kings dismantled the Oilers 6-2 to take both games at home as the series now shifts to Edmonton.
Thompson made 25 saves, including some key stops on dangerous chances in the third period, to help the Caps beat the Habs 3-1 and take a 2-0 series lead.
0:48
Messier: Logan Thompson won the game for the Caps
Mark Messier tells Scott Van Pelt the critical role Logan Thompson played for the Capitials in their 3-1 win over the Canadiens in Game 2.
Wednesday’s scores
Washington Capitals 3, Montreal Canadiens 1
(WSH leads 2-0)
Another game that was perhaps a bit closer than the pundits (and the fans in D.C.) expected. Montreal’s Christian Dvorak opened the scoring in the second period, before the Caps answered with two goals in a one-minute span from Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome. That lead would hold despite the Habs’ best efforts, thanks to some heroic saves from Logan Thompson. McMichael added an empty-netter just before the final buzzer to ensure that the fans went home happy, and that his team takes a 2-0 lead to Montreal for Game 3.
0:34
Capitals take lead over Canadiens on back-to-back goals
Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome score a minute apart to put the Capitals ahead of the Canadiens in the second period.
Dallas Stars 2, Colorado Avalanche 1 (OT)
(DAL leads 2-1)
The big story here was the return of Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog after three years. And a first-period goal from Valeri Nichushkin sent the crowd into a frenzy. But the Stars have veteran players of their own, and captain Jamie Benn tied the game midway through the third period, before Tyler Seguin tallied the game-winning goal at 5:31 of overtime.
1:04
Tyler Seguin breaks Avs’ hearts with OT winner for Stars
Tyler Seguin spoils Gabriel Landeskog’s return with a goal to claim the Stars’ second overtime win as they take a 2-1 series lead vs. the Avalanche.
Los Angeles Kings 6, Edmonton Oilers 2
(LA leads 2-0)
For the past three postseasons, the Kings have been eliminated in the first round by the Oilers. Is this finally the year they get past their tormentors from Alberta? Continuing to score six goals per game would certainly help. Brandt Clarke got the party started with a power-play goal at 8:44 of the first period, and he was joined on the scoresheet by Quinton Byfield, Andrei Kuzmenko, Adrian Kempe (with two) and Anze Kopitar. The Kings’ power play has been electric in this series, as L.A. has scored five goals on 10 opportunities with the man advantage.
0:42
Adrian Kempe scores again as Kings close in on victory
Adrian Kempe’s second goal of the night makes it 6-2 Kings as they take full control of Game 2 against the Oilers.
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