Hoffman (1-2) took the loss Saturday against the Diamondbacks, allowing four runs on three hits and one walk in the eighth inning. He struck out two.
Summoned to keep the game tied at 2-2 in the eighth frame, Hoffman proceeded to allow three consecutive baserunners to reach before a grand slam by Corbin Carroll before escaping the frame. The right-hander's grip on Toronto's closer role continues to loosen, as he's produced a 7.71 ERA and 2.04 WHIP while converting just two of his five save opportunities through 9.1 innings. Louis Varland was warming up for the ninth had the game remain tied or if a save situation had arose, and he appears to be the next man up in the bullpen should the Blue Jays consider other alternatives for saves. However, manager John Schneider stated that Hoffman remains the team's closer following the game, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.