Wednesday night was the night every Major League Baseball team dreads for the Philadelphia Phillies.
With their 4-1 loss to the upstart New York Mets, the Phillies crashed out of the playoffs in the first round they played, after winning at least two series in each of the past two years.
It was a crushing, soul-sucking defeat for a team that felt this season was championship-or-bust. And for at least one of their most beloved players, it could be the end of the line in Philadelphia.
All-Star relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman, who has been positively sensational for the Phillies the last two seasons, took the loss after loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. He was removed for closer Carlos Estévez, who promptly allowed the game-sealing grand slam to Francisco Lindor.
Hoffman is a free agent, and there's no telling what the bidding war might look like for his services. But in the wake of the loss, the Phillies star clearly hoped the door was open for him to return to Philadelphia.
"Yeah," Hoffman said of a potential reunion, choking back tears. "That's all I want."
The thought of free agency, though, of actually fielding calls from teams and weighing potential offers, appeared to be far from Hoffman's mind.
"It's hard to think about right now," he said.
There weren't many more reliable relievers in MLB this season than Hoffman, and there's a lot to be said about keeping a player on a team he's had success with. At the same time, relievers are a volatile commodity, and it's hard to say what Hoffman's market will look like.
As much as the Phillies might value Hoffman, they may not be his highest bidder. And if that gap grows large enough, the righty could have no choice but to head elsewhere.
Hoffman was also asked what had been most special about his time in Philadelphia, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic, and had another emotional response.
"Just the people," Hoffman said. "The people."
The Phillies have been a special group for the past few seasons. But reality is setting in that things are about to change. Playoff disappointment always takes its toll, and we'll soon see how different the team looks in 2025.
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