While the Braves’ rotation and offense are expected to improve with the returns of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., there’s no such boost coming for the bullpen — and that’s becoming a serious issue.
General Manager Alex Anthopoulos let key relievers A.J. Minter and Joe Jiménez walk in free agency, both of whom later underwent knee surgeries, without securing adequate replacements. While it now appears to be a costly oversight, reports suggest the Braves did make an attempt to land a major bullpen piece.
According to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman, Atlanta had an agreement in place with reliever Jeff Hoffman, but the deal fell through after Hoffman’s physical raised red flags. He eventually signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, despite also reportedly failing a physical with the Orioles.
Bowman revealed the Braves’ initial offer was even more significant — a five-year contract worth between $45 and $48 million. There was even talk of trying Hoffman in a starting role, with the plan to move him into the bullpen later in the contract, similar to how Reynaldo López was used previously.
Hoffman, coming off an All-Star season with the Phillies in 2024, had compiled a stellar 2.17 ERA over 68 outings. Dating back to early 2023, he’s been consistently elite, posting a 2.28 ERA and 2.54 FIP across 118.2 innings.
Now with Toronto, Hoffman has been lights out — allowing just one run over 9.1 innings with three saves, an eye-popping 0.96 ERA, 0.54 FIP, and 0.643 WHIP. That kind of performance is exactly what Atlanta’s bullpen is missing.
The Braves’ relievers currently own a collective ERA of 4.44, ranking 24th in the majors, and a bullpen WAR of -0.5, which ranks 25th. Given those numbers, missing out on Hoffman may end up being one of the offseason’s most regrettable “what-ifs” for Atlanta.
