The Phillies optioned Nolan Hoffman to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, sending him back after a brief major league stint. Hoffman was called up on Thursday and made one appearance for Philadelphia, throwing 1.1 scoreless frames.
The move came after Hoffman showed enough in limited work to at least make a quick impression. He had a 2.35 ERA across seven outings for Lehigh Valley this season before being promoted, and that form, along with his scoreless major league appearance, should help him earn another look later this year.
For Hoffman, the trip back to Lehigh Valley does not read like a setback so much as a pause. The Phillies gave him a chance, he handled it cleanly, and now he returns to the minors with the kind of numbers that can keep him in the conversation if the club needs pitching help again.
