The Phillies introduced that they’ve claimed right-hander Andrew Hoffmann off waivers from the Diamondbacks and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He had been designated for task by Arizona earlier this week. As of yesterday, the transactions tracker at MLB.com listed him as launched. With this declare, it now seems that he had been positioned on launch waivers however had not cleared. To open a 40-man spot for Hoffmann, the Phils recalled infielder/outfielder Félix Reyes and positioned him on the 60-day injured checklist with a proper wrist fracture.
As soon as a participant has been designated for task, a crew has three choices for what to do subsequent: commerce, outright waivers or launch waivers. A commerce of Hoffmann wasn’t doable as a result of the deadline handed just a few weeks in the past. Outright waivers have been additionally not doable as a result of Hoffmann was on the minor league injured checklist when he was designated for task. By rule, injured gamers can’t be positioned on outright waivers. The Snakes subsequently had just one possibility, which was launch waivers.
Although Hoffmann shouldn’t be at the moment wholesome, the Phils determined to seize him from launch waivers regardless. His main league numbers to this point aren’t nice, as he has a 6.85 earned run common in 23 2/3 innings. The Phils are in all probability intrigued by final 12 months’s minor league numbers. 2025 was his first 12 months as a full-time reliever, as he had initially been working as a starter. The transfer appeared to repay, as he completed final 12 months with a 3.19 ERA in 42 1/3 Triple-A innings. He struck out 31.7% of batters confronted, restricted walks to a 7.2% tempo and likewise induced grounders on 54.2% of balls in play.
He hasn’t been capable of carry that over into 2026. He began the 12 months within the massive leagues however put up a 7.71 ERA in 11 2/3 innings and bought despatched to the minors. With Triple-A Reno, he had a 6.08 ERA in 13 1/3 innings earlier than hitting the IL with an undisclosed damage. Although this 12 months has been a problem, the Phils presumably really feel there’s an opportunity for Hoffmann to get again on observe, both later this 12 months or maybe going ahead. He has lower than a 12 months of service time and may be managed till he will get his service clock as much as six years. He’ll nonetheless have an possibility remaining after this season.
Reyes, 25, was simply added to the 40-man roster in April. He hit .158/.158/.263 in 12 video games earlier than getting optioned again to the IronPigs. He hit the minor league injured checklist just a few days in the past. The Phils apparently weren’t anticipating him again this 12 months, in order that they have recalled him and put him on the 60-day IL with a purpose to open a roster spot for the Hoffmann declare.
Whereas he’s absolutely not happy to be injured, the silver lining for Reyes is he’ll get just a few weeks of massive league pay and repair time between now and the top of the common season. The IL goes away 5 days after the World Sequence, so Reyes and all different gamers on the 60-day IL might want to retake roster spots at the moment.
Photograph courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Pictures
