After negotiations with the Orioles failed, the Toronto Blue Jays signed relay pitcher Jeff Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million contract, which could be increased to up to $39 million with an incentive bonus for the number of rounds pitched. Blue Jays manager Ross Atkins mentioned the possibility of switching to Hoffman as the finisher.

The Oriole was willing to pay a hefty $40 million price, but it fell through because he was not satisfied with Hoffman's medical report, and he had undergone elbow ligament reconstruction surgery before he entered the major leagues. Hoffman was originally acquired by the Blue Jays draft, was traded to Rocky, and had a poor performance in Rocky's five seasons (10-16, 6.40 ERA), and then moved to the Reds without improvement, and the Twins signed him for one month in spring training, and he couldn't make the opening season roster and asked to leave, barely able to get a foothold in the big leagues.

The Phillies picked up Hoffman on a minor league contract at the beginning of the 2023 season, and in the past two seasons, he has suddenly become a strong bullpen pitcher (2.28 ERA) and his value has skyrocketed, and he has increased his base salary to $2.2 million last year, and he was selected to the Star Game for the first time in his career. Now that it has come full circle, it was the Blue Jays themselves who signed Hoffman back with a high salary, allowing him to reverse his career in professional baseball at the age of 32.

The Blue Jays currently have Chad Green as the finisher and could replace Green as the finisher this year with Hoffman.