Will the Philadelphia Phillies’ top reliever be at his best going into Saturday’s playoff game?
Manager Rob Thomson revealed to reporters Wednesday, that All-Star Jeff Hoffman missed today’s simulated game due to a “little stiff neck,” via The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey.
Notes about today’s sim game:
– Ended in a 5-5 tie
– Hoffman didn’t pitch because he came in w/ a “little stiff neck.” Thomson said they held him back out of precaution and “he’ll be fine” for Sat
– Castellanos & Harper hit back to back HRs off Banks. Wilson hit HR off Allard— Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey) October 2, 2024
Hoffman was held out of the workout as a precautionary measure, but Thomson said the reliever will “be fine” to begin the playoffs. The Phillies will face the winner of the New York Mets-Milwaukee Brewers Wild Card series in the NLDS.
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Hoffman became an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2024, finishing the season with the eighth-best ERA (2.17) among National League relievers with at least 60 innings pitched.
Hoffman will be a free agent after the season. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb reports the Phillies are interested in bringing the reliever back.
“It’s everything that I could have dreamed it would be,” Hoffman told The Athletic. “You know the team is going to be good. You know the owner wants to win. You know the staff is behind the guys fully. The training staff is A-1. It’s just a really good situation. For me, if I want to play another four or five years, whatever it is, I feel like this is the place that can keep me healthy enough to do that. And then also have a chance to win every year that I’m here.”
Hoffman burst onto the scene with the Phillies in 2023 after throwing Bryce Harper — who was gearing up to return from injury — batting practice in late April. Hoffman was so impressive that the Phillies decided to bring him up from the minors and he became a revelation. In 52 1/3 innings last year, Hoffman struck out 69 and had a 2.41 ERA.
He has become Thomson’s most-trusted reliever.
Good news for Ranger Suarez
Thomson had a positive update on starter Ranger Suarez, who struggled mightily in the second half of the season. The manager said he saw a “big improvement” for Suarez after he pitched two innings in the simulated game.
“I think so, you never know. In talking to Caleb, we both felt really good. It was coming out of his hand really good, movement was there, curveball was sharp. Eased my mind” – Rob Thomson on Ranger Suarez today
— PHLY Phillies (@PHLY_Phillies) October 2, 2024
“It was coming out of his hand really good, movement was there, curveball was sharp. Eased my mind,” Thomson said, via PHLY Sports.
Suarez, who was a first-time All-Star in 2024, really fell off after the break due to a back injury, which kept him out for a month.
According to StatMuse, Suarez had a 6.54 ERA in 11 starts since June 30. During that span, he gave up four or more earned runs in six games.
For the Phillies to have success in the playoffs, Suarez is going to need to pitch at his best. As it’s looking right now, Suarez might only be good for one time through the lineup before he gets pulled.
First pitch for Game 1 of the NLDS is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5.
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