The Philadelphia Phillies designated right-handed reliever Nolan Hoffman for assignment Monday to clear a spot on the 40-man roster after acquiring veteran left-hander Brooks Raley from the New York Mets. Phillies beat writer Lochlahn March first reported the roster move following the deadline deal.
The transaction allowed Philadelphia to add Raley to its active roster as the club strengthened its bullpen for the stretch run. The Phillies entered Monday with a 59-53 record, sitting second in the National League East while holding a 1.5-game edge over the San Diego Padres for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.
The move represents another deadline decision by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski as Philadelphia continues reinforcing a roster built to compete in October.
Raley arrives after another productive season with the Mets. The 38-year-old owns a 5-5 record with a 1.96 ERA across 45 relief appearances, recording 40 strikeouts and 15 walks over 41.1 innings while continuing to serve as one of baseball's most dependable left-handed bullpen options.
To acquire the veteran, Philadelphia sent right-handed pitching prospect Luke Gabrysh and outfielder John Spikerman to New York. Raley gives the Phillies another experienced late-inning option as they prepare for the final two months of the regular season.
Hoffman spent most of the year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before making three appearances for Philadelphia. He posted a 3.86 ERA across 4.2 major league innings before becoming the roster casualty to accommodate Raley's arrival.
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Philadelphia identified the bullpen as a priority before the trade deadline, and Raley provides another proven left-handed arm capable of handling high-leverage situations. His addition strengthens the relief corps as the club pushes to maintain its postseason position.
Hoffman's stay on the waiver wire proved brief. After being designated for assignment, the Phillies traded the 28-year-old right-hander to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for 19-year-old minor league reliever Manuel Colón and cash, allowing Philadelphia to recover value while completing its deadline roster adjustments.
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