How Braves Missed Out on World Series-Contending Closer

The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the World Series, with Jeff Hoffman closing out Game 7 on home turf. He's four wins away from a ring in his first season in Toronto, and it almost didn't happen. There is an alternate reality where he sports an Atlanta Braves uniform.

Following his deal with the Blue Jays in January, word go out that he had agreed to a five-year deal in the $45 million to $48 million range ($9 million to $9.6 million per season). However, he wouldn't have been a reliever. He would have had the chance to make his way into the starting rotation and move to the bullpen later on in the contract.

However, the deal hit a snag. He failed his physical with the training staff, and the Braves walked away. He would also miss out on a deal with the Orioles because of a failed physical, reportedly because of his shoulder.

The Blue Jays took chance on him, and ultimately it worked out. Maybe the Braves missed out. Maybe they didn't.

It's easy to look at the pitcher in his successful situation and think it could have meant things would have been better for the Braves. Keep this in mind, he would've had a different role with the team.

They were attempting to have Reynaldo Lopez 2.0. Get a former starter who has been a reliever, and get him stretched back out. If the shoulder was an issue, for example, it's going to make that plan more difficult. Even if they overlook it and sign him, and it's not an issue on top of it, we still don't know if it would have been a successful transition to the mound.

For what it's worth, he was healthy this season when the rotation wasn't. Assuming he doesn't get hurt trying to be a starter, that would've been helpful. Maybe he could have pitched well enough in some games that emergency starts didn't. There are a few scenarios. We'll never know which would have happened.

This should also be kept in mind. Hoffman hasn't necessarily been consistently shut down for the Blue Jays either. Some months, his ERA was below 2.00, and other times, it was 4.50 or above. His regular-season ERA averaged out to 4.37. If he pitches the same way in Atlanta, he might have contributed to the problems the team already faced.

To his credit, he was strong in September, and he's been nails in October. He's allowed an earned run in 7 1/3 innings pitched (1.23 ERA).

That being said, he might not have had the chance to have this playoff performance this year if he were in Atlanta. It's highly unlikely he makes or breaks the Braves' playoff chances. It's just more complex than that.

So, that's why the Braves missed out on an addition to the staff. Hindsight is 20/20. But given the circumstances, the team is still likely justified in walking away specifically from him. It doesn't defend the lack of upgrades from that same offseason, but this is not a singular situation that can be examined and called a day.

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