Hoffman (shoulder) is expected to begin the season on the disabled list, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The pitching prospect has been out of commission since early March due to shoulder soreness. Since he's not expected to return to some form of game action until sometime in April, it makes a lot of sense for the team to simply open up his roster spot to begin the year. With Hoffman starting the season on the disabled list, Kyle Freeland will grab the fifth starter role while Antonio Senzatela begins the season as a long reliever in the big leagues.