The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly inked the career saves leader, Trevor Hoffman to a one year deal worth a guaranteed $6 million and includes $1.5 million in incentives as well as a team option for a second year.
Hoffman had been expected to return to the San Diego Padres where he'd pitched for the last 13 years, however, the team retracted their initial one year offer of $4 million, a move which angered the closer.
The Brewers, who lost last years closer Salomon Torres to an unexpected retirement and already signed former closer Jorge Julio, but are expected to use Hoffman as the closer with Julio as a setup man. The 41 year old converted 30 of 34 save opportunities last year and should become a much needed anchor at the back of the Brewers pen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers had extended Hoffman an offer for more than $4 million in hopes of giving Jonathan Broxton a chance to grow into the closers role. They'll now have to either toss the young reliever into the fire, or perhaps turn to former closers Takashi Saito, Guillermo Motta, or even Chad Cordero who is apparently ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery last summer (pure speculation on my part).
