The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen had a bit of an offseason makeover this winter, losing both Carlos Estévez and Jeff Hoffman to free agency. The former was only with the Phillies for a short time following the trade deadline, but Hoffman spent two seasons in Philadelphia and became a fan favorite thanks to his redemption arc, his demeanor and his success on the mound.

Now, Phillies fans will have to watch the 32-year-old pitching in a different uniform, as Hoffman signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in January. With spring training camps starting up last week, we got our first look at Hoffman in his new uniform, as posted on X by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson.

While with the Phillies, Hoffman went from a minor league signing afterthought with a 5.68 ERA to one of the preeminent high-leverage relievers in the game. He posted a 2.28 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 118 2/3 innings out of the bullpen in red pinstripes.

Now, he’s back with the team that originally drafted him in the first round in 2014, and he’ll be given the ball in the ninth inning as the Blue Jays’ closer, a job he wasn’t given in Philadelphia. Sure, he did pick up 10 saves in 2024, but he wasn’t the closer, rather part of a committee. Those ninth-inning chances dried up after the Phillies traded for Estévez.

“I was itching for that opportunity in the previous season,” Hoffman said after signing with Toronto, per Matheson. “To know that I’ll have that opportunity, it’s definitely a driving force with my mentality. I feel like that’s what I’m meant to be, meant to do. That’s the part of the game where I come in and find comfort in the chaos.”

At least for Phillies fans, Hoffman didn’t sign with a team the Phillies will see very often. He came dangerously close to signing a five-year deal with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves — what a disaster that would have been. Thanks to a flagged physical, he wound up in Toronto instead.

While there’s a chance they could come across Hoffman during Grapefruit League action, the Phillies also play two regular-season series against the Blue Jays every year. They’ll have their first meeting with a three-game set beginning June 3 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, followed by three games at Citizens Bank Park a week later.

No matter where he’s pitching, Hoffman will be missed in Philadelphia.