Hoffman (1-2) allowed five earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven across six innings to take the loss Tuesday against the Cubs.
Hoffman was beaten by the long ball, with three of his five earned runs coming from homers. The 26-year-old made his first road start of the season -- getting away from the treacherous Coors Field -- though that didn't solve his home-run problem (he's let the opposition take him deep at least once in each of his last three starts). He now has a 7.29 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across 21 innings. More positively, he has a 22:5 K:BB, skills that indicate he may deserve better results. He'll look to turn things around in his next start, currently scheduled for Sunday at the Mets.