Phillies favorite with $9 million in career earnings tipped to quit team in favor of MLB rivals San Diego Padres

The city of Philadelphia The San Diego Padres are rumored to sign Phillies star Jeff Hoffman.

The 31-year-old pitcher is regarded as one of the best free agents available this off-season.

Hoffman has garnered a lot of attention with his first All-Star selection.

The Colorado Rockies, the former No. 9 overall pick in 2014, had a difficult time securing a position for themselves in the MLB during his early years.

His long-term league future was called into question after a stint with the Cincinnati Reds.

He was not selected for the Minnesota Twins’ roster prior to the 2023 season.

Hoffman’s career has taken off since he first signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies.

Hoffman wants to get compensated this off-season after finding his calling in the City of Brotherly Love.

The Padres have been linked to the New York native, who made $2.2 million this season and has amassed over $9 million in his career.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report made the following prediction regarding Hoffman’s free agency: “With Joe Musgrove sidelined due to Tommy John surgery, the Padres will probably need to add at least one starting pitcher, and they might be the ideal team to take a chance on Jeff Hoffman’s possible switch from bullpen to rotation.

“After all, they were the team that gave Seth Lugo a shot at starting again when they signed him to a one-year deal prior to the 2023 season, and that worked out pretty well.”

Hoffman thinks that part of his early promise was unlocked during his brief time in Minnesota.

Hoffman recently told ESPN, “Pete Maki [the Twins pitching coach in 2023] said let’s try a cutter.” “Flick left at the end after throwing it like a fastball.

“It was awful, but in a bullpen session, it was 89 miles per hour. ‘Oh s***, that works!'”

“Even if I let up a home run, simply throw it at 89 miles per hour and call it a slider; it was just a quest to replicate the velo.

“Day by day, chasing that … sometimes it just takes a mental cue, and you are behind the ball instead of beside it [at release].”

‘I WOULD BE A GREAT STARTER’

Whether Hoffman will be a starter on his next squad has been the subject of much conjecture.

He told ESPN last week, “I think I would be a great starter if given that opportunity again.” “Seeing what [Reynaldo Lopez and Jordan Hicks] accomplished last year was cool, and given my current state of fitness and my arsenal’s performance over the past four years, it’s an intriguing idea for me.

“It makes sense that guys with deeper arsenals than most relievers have found success.”

Hoffman is adamant about playing for a club that wants to win a championship.

“The thing that’s most important to me is being on a contender, playing deep into October,” he said.

“When everyone is playing for the same goal, playing meaningful baseball makes the clubhouse even more fun. I want my next circumstance to be like that.