PHILADELPHIA — Former Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman returned to Philadelphia Friday night as a Toronto Blue Jay, the team that drafted him with the ninth overall pick in the 2014 draft.

The righthander never played for the Blue Jays, coming off of Tommy John surgery and getting traded to the Colorado Rockies in 2016. Four years after that, he was dealt to the Cincinnati Reds where, in 2022, he posted a 2–0 record and 3.83 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 44⅔ innings.

But the Reds released him at the end of the season, which allowed the Phillies to sign him to a minor league contract.

When Bryce Harper was rehabbing from elbow surgery in 2023, the Phils wanted a veteran arm to throw to him. So they brought in Hoffman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Harper and the big club quickly realized how good he was, and they ended up signing him to a major league deal.

“Those moments were a big part of my career and helped me get to the point where I am now,” Hoffman, 32, said Friday. “There were a lot of good times here.”

This was Hoffman’s first time back at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies opted not to re-sign him last fall, when he inked a three-year, $33 million deal (plus a possible $6 million in incentives) with Toronto in free agency.

Hoffman was pivotal part of the Phillies’ playoffs runs in ’23 and ’24, posting ERAs of 2.41 and 2.17.

“This still feels like home,” he said. “There are a lot of emotions.”

Hoffman spent Thursday’s off day walking around the city before setting foot in Citizens Bank Park.

“This place does something special to each guy that puts on a Phillies uniform,” he said. “I’m just excited to be back and be in the atmosphere again. We didn’t accomplish the goal that we wanted to accomplish while I was here, but every night you feel how much it means to the whole city. So I think that probably played a big part in how I pitched here.”

The Phillies played a video tribute to Hoffman in the top of the fourth inning, drawing a rousing round of applause.

Hoffman is the Blue Jays’ closer. In 30 innings, he has a 5-2 record with 17 saves, a 5.70 ERA and a 1.100 WHIP.

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Phillies manager Rob Thompson said Bryce Harper (right wrist inflammation) continues to heal. He has been taking ground balls but no batting practice. He wears a brace on the wrist.

Harper was drilled in the elbow by a 95-mph fastball by the Atlanta Braves’ Spencer Strider on May 27. He missed five games, but his wrist continued to hinder him. There’s no timetable for his return. He is hitting .258 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and an .814 OBP.

“He’s running around a little bit, taking ground balls, shagging flies,” Thomson said. “His wrist is immobilized, really, so he can’t hit right now. We want to make sure that the thing’s knocked out before he starts swinging the bat.”

Pitcher Aaron Nola said he was told his injury is a stress fracture in his right rib cage, adding that he feels discomfort when breathing heavily or trying to throw. The prescription is rest. Nola, who has rarely missed time in his major league career, isn’t sure when the stress fracture developed and is currently on the 15-day IL.

“Obviously, it’s tough not to be out there pitching,” Nola said Friday. “The hardest part for me is to not be able to throw. … It will take some time. I’ll have to get my arm conditioned and get my body conditioned and work my way back.”

The initial issue that sent him to the injured list was a right ankle sprain, which he said is feeling better. Before going on the IL, Nola struggled with a 1-7 mark and 6.16 ERA.

Brandon Marsh returned to the lineup in center after missing a game with a hyperextended elbow, which happened when he slid into second base against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday.

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Prior to Friday’s game, Trea Turner was presented with an Emmy Award by Kyle Thrash, producer of the sports documentary “The Turnaround,” which largely centers on the series of standing ovations Turner received in August 2023 when he was struggling.

Turner, in his third season with the Phillies, credited that support for turning his season around.

“The Turnaround,” which also addresses the addiction struggles of Phillies fan John McCann, won the Emmy last month.

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NOTES >> The Phillies have a record of 73-35 (.676) over 108 games at Citizens Bank Park dating back to April 2024. It’s the best home winning percentage in baseball. … Lefthander Ranger Suárez entered Friday with a 2.55 ERA, fourth among starting pitchers in MLB (minimum of 150 batters faced). He trailed Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes (2.32), Detroit’s Tarik Skubal (2.34) and teammate Zack Wheeler (2.44). … The Phils’ lineup had 10 or more hits in their previous three games heading into this series. … The Phillies came in with a record of 17-5 (.773) in their previous 22 games against American League teams and have won seven of the last eight interleague series. … The Phillies entered with a 30-10 (.750) record when scoring first, which is tied for sixth best in the majors. They went on to score first on Friday. … Toronto had won 12 of its last 14 games before coming to Philadelphia.