Why Phillies $36 Million All-Star Makes Sense For Red Sox, According To Insider

It's an obvious fit for a few different reasons...

Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; A view of the field featuring the Philadelphia Phillies City Connect logo before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

While starting pitching and the high-stakes Juan Soto chase are rightfully receiving most of the attention, the Boston Red Sox can't afford to forget about the bullpen.

Not only was the Red Sox bullpen positively atrocious in the second half of the 2024 season, but it's also losing a pair of valuable veterans. Closer Kenley Jansen and setup man Chris Martin are both likely to depart in free agency, leaving a void at the back end of the pen that needs filling.

The Red Sox also have a pair of potential closers already on the roster in Liam Hendriks and Justin Slaten. But it wouldn't hurt to bring one more name into that mix, especially if that reliever was also comfortable pitching in high-leverage spots that aren't save situations.

All those roads lead to Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Jeff Hoffman, who is entering free agency after a two-year career resurgence in the National League East. Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic sees Hoffman as an obvious fit for the Red Sox, not only from a baseball standpoint, but a financial one.

McCaffrey recently described Hoffman's fit for Boston while citing a projection from Tim Britton of The Athletic, who has Hoffman slated for a three-year, $36 million free-agent deal.

"(Hoffman) posted a 2.41 ERA with a 33.2 percent strikeout rate last year after reaching the majors and kept up the dominance this past season with a 2.17 ERA, a strong 0.96 WHIP and a 33.6 percent strikeout rate, along with a minuscule 6 percent walk rate," McCaffrey said.

"Hoffman will likely fetch three or four years on the open market. For comparison’s sake, the Red Sox signed Martin and Jansen two years ago to two-year deals worth $17.5 million and $32 million, respectively, so a three-year, $36 million deal, as Britton suggests, seems within their realm of spending on relievers."

The 31-year-old Hoffman has expressed his desire to stay in Philadelphia, but the Red Sox could be an appealing situation as well, given the youth of the team and obvious talent in the lineup. Plus, the Red Sox have far more money to spend in terms of the luxury tax, which the Phillies were already over in 2024.

Bringing Hoffman to Boston would deal with one of the Red Sox's most pressing needs in a meaningful way. The reliable righty wants a chance at playoff redemption, and Boston could be the place he finds it.

More MLB: Red Sox In Discussions With Two Superstar Free-Agent Pitchers, Per Insider