Hoffman was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday.
With Kyle Freeland (finger) expected to miss just one start, Hoffman is no longer needed in the rotation following Wednesday's spot start. As such, he'll return to the minors to remain stretched out while Daniel Murphy (finger) takes his place on the active roster. The right-hander allowed four runs on six hits over five innings while striking out six in a loss to the Nationals on Tuesday.