All Star Departure From Phillies Could be…

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ toughest decision this offseason could be centered around re-signing Jeff Hoffman or Carlos Estevez.

On paper, there wouldn’t be an argument that both players couldn’t help their bullpen moving forward. Hoffman was incredible for much of the campaign, while Estevez did all he needed to during his short time in a Phillies jersey.

While Estevez has more experience closing and Hoffman was brutal in the postseason, re-signing Hoffman might not be the worst idea. He’ll likely be cheaper and has been with the club for a few years.

Dave Dombrowski hinted at Philadelphia being unable to bring both back, highlighting what’s to come in the winter.

“I mean, the reality is, we have a lot of good players,” he said. “I think we just have to be open-minded to exploring what’s out there for us, talk to some clubs and see what ends up happening. That process hasn’t started. Sometimes you trade good players for good players.”

From the sound of things, the Phillies will decide between both players, and there’s an argument for both sides.

If it comes down to price, Jim Bowden of The Athletic has Hoffman earning just $27 million over three seasons, which is cheaper than Estevez’s $33 million over three years.

Bowden still had positive words for Hoffman and linked him to a few teams, including the New York Yankees.

“Jeff Hoffman had the best year of his career, making the All-Star team and tallying a 2.17 ERA and 0.965 WHIP in 68 games. He struck out 89 in 66 1/3 innings (12.1 strikeouts per nine). However, he fared poorly in this postseason, allowing six runs in 1 1/3 innings over three games. The Phillies are unlikely to bring back both Hoffman and Carlos Estévez.”

The Yankees could be interested in bringing the All-Star home, as he was born in New York.

For a team that could also use his help in the backend of their bullpen for a relatively decent price, it would be a good decision from their front office.

Whatever Philadelphia does, they have to understand the risk of losing both of them. Allowing one to walk wouldn’t be the worst outcome, but if they don’t plan on spending heavily elsewhere, it’s tough to imagine a scenario where they could replace both of them.

There are some tough decisions to make, and if they aren’t made properly, the Phillies might suffer because of it.