The Philadelphia Phillies are surging at the right time, riding a six-game winning streak after sweeping both the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins and cutting the Atlanta Braves’ lead in the NL East to 4.5 games.
Despite the turnaround since the trade deadline, Philadelphia still has concerns in the bullpen, prompting the club to continue adding pitching depth.
After signing Nestor Cortes on Wednesday, the Phillies made another move Thursday by claiming right-hander Andrew Hoffmann off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 26-year-old was added primarily as bullpen depth and was immediately optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, while infielder/outfielder Felix Reyes was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right wrist fracture.
Hoffmann has already appeared in the majors but has struggled, carrying a 6.85 career ERA across 23.2 innings.
His 2026 campaign has been even rougher, as he posted a 7.71 ERA over 11.2 innings with Arizona.
His minor-league numbers have also been inconsistent, including a 6.08 ERA in 13.1 innings at Triple-A this season.
Still, the Phillies view Hoffmann as a low-risk opportunity to add pitching depth. Once considered a promising prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization, he offers another arm for the system as Philadelphia makes its postseason push.
With the Phillies’ pitching staff showing improvement under Caleb Cotham, the organization is betting that its coaches can unlock something from the former prospect.
