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The Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves backed out of agreements to sign Jeff Hoffman because of concerns about the reliever’s pitching shoulder before he finalized a $33 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays last week.

“The stuff they saw on the MRIs, whatever they saw was what their team docs were saying,” he said Wednesday during the Blue Jays’ introductory videoconference. “Not any bit in line with the way I feel, though, so it’s not something that I’m really concerned about or worried about.”

A right-hander who turned 32 on Jan. 8, Hoffman went for in-person physicals for deals with the Orioles and Braves.

“All the flags, physical stuff, was as big a surprise to me as anybody,” he said. “If you can check my kind of track record over the past few seasons, I’ve been as healthy as anybody. It’s a nonissue for me. It’s just something that they wanted to bring up and the Blue Jays see me for what I am. So I’d rather be in a place like that anyways.”

Braves spokesman Jared Burleyson and Orioles spokeswoman Jackie Harig said their teams declined to comment.

Toronto gave Hoffman a deal that included a $5 million signing bonus and salaries of $6 million this year and $11 million in each of the following two seasons. He can earn up to $2 million annually in performance bonuses for innings pitched: $500,000 each for 60, 70, 80 and 90.

“When the team docs got their hands on me and everything for the actual physical orthopedic exam, there was really nothing to worry about,” Hoffman said. “My body’s moving great, range of motion, everything is normal for me and it’s as it would be midseason.”

Hoffman was last on the injured list in 2022 with Cincinnati, when he didn’t pitch after July 23 because of right forearm stiffness. He was on the IL from May 27 to July 21 in 2021 because of a sore right shoulder and was sidelined by right shoulder inflammation early in the 2018 season while with Colorado.

A first-time All-Star last year, Hoffman wound up with his original big league organization. He was selected by the Blue Jays with the ninth pick in the 2014 amateur draft and was traded to Colorado a year later. He had the Blue Jays’ draft card framed and on a wall as he spoke from his home in the Orlando, Florida, area.

“Been a little chaotic, obviously,” Hoffman said. “Not stuff that we necessarily agreed with when we were going through the process, but teams have their ways of looking at physicals and stuff like that, and at the end of the day, the ball’s in their court on that kind of stuff. So we’re really excited that Toronto was kind of in it from the beginning and kept contact through the whole process, and we always kind of felt like it was a really cool place that we could end up.”

Hoffman went 3-3 with a 2.17 ERA and 10 saves last season for the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies, earning his first All-Star selection in July. He set career bests for ERA, saves and appearances (68). He struck out 89 and walked 16 in 66⅓ innings, holding opposing hitters to a .197 batting average with a 0.96 WHIP. But he struggled badly in last year’s playoffs versus the New York Mets, going 1-2 while allowing six runs in 1⅓ innings over three outings in their division series.

Hoffman would earn $150,000 for winning a Cy Young Award, $125,000 for finishing second in the voting, $100,000 for third, $75,000 for fourth and $50,000 for fifth. He would receive $100,000 for winning Reliever of the Year and $75,000 for becoming a finalist, $50,000 each for making the All-Star team or winning World Series MVP, and $25,000 for winning League Championship Series MVP.

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

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MLB: Iassogna crew chief, plate umpire for ASG

NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.

Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.

He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.

Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.

Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.

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A’s Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

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A's Rooker joins list of HR Derby participants

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.

Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.

“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”

Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.

His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.

The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.

Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.

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Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

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Mets recall Acuna from Triple-A, DFA Jankowski

BALTIMORE — The New York Mets recalled 23-year-old utility man Luisangel Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse before Thursday’s split doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.

The brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., Luisangel Acuña went 13-for-45 (.286) for Syracuse after the Mets optioned him in late June.

Capable of playing second base, shortstop or the outfield, Acuna had batted .241 in 65 games before going to the minors.

“He was a big part of this team the first couple of months,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “We got to a point where we felt like, ‘Hey, let’s get him some everyday playing time. ‘And now it’s time for him to be back up here, continuing to help us win baseball games.”

In a corresponding move, the Mets designated outfielder Travis Jankowski for assignment.

Acuna was on the bench for New York’s first game of the doubleheader.

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