This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and sign up, make a deposit, or place a wager, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Hoffman notched a save against the Angels on Monday, allowing one hit and striking out three batters over a scoreless inning of work.
Hoffman entered with a three-run lead in the ninth inning and gave up a single to the first batter he faced. However, the right-hander proceeded to strike out the following three hitters to close out the contest. This was a much-needed performance for Hoffman after he picked up a loss and a blown save while yielding six runs over 1.2 innings across his previous two appearances. Manager John Schneider has expressed confidence in Hoffman as the team's closer, and at least for Monday, that confidence appeared justified.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Serves up grand slam in second loss
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Blows another save chance
Rotowire
Hoffman blew his save opportunity during the Blue Jays' 9-7 extra-inning win over the Brewers on Tuesday, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out one batter over two-thirds of an inning.
The Blue Jays' bats rallied with three runs at the top of the ninth inning, prompting manager John Schneider to bring out Hoffman to protect a 6-4 lead. However, Hoffman lacked command during Tuesday's outing, recording just 14 strikes on 32 pitches (43.8 percent), and the two runs he yielded tied things up at 6-6. He was pulled after walking Garrett Mitchell to load the bases, but fortunately for Hoffman, he did not take the loss after Louis Varland struck out Joey Ortiz on three pitches. Hoffman has struck out 18 batters across 8.1 innings this season but has blown three of five save opportunities, and his grip on Toronto's closer job might be loosening. If he can't turn things around, then Schneider may turn closing duties over to candidates like Varland, Tyler Rogers and, when he returns from the 15-day injured list, Yimi Garcia (elbow).
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Notches second save
Rotowire
Hoffman earned the save in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Dodgers, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.
The Dodgers got the tying and go-ahead runs on base against Hoffman with one out in the ninth. However, the right-hander bounced back to strike out Freddie Freeman before coaxing a game-ending flyout off the bat of Max Muncy to log his second save in three chances this year. Hoffman has appeared in seven games overall this season, allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out 15 over 6.2 innings.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Blows save, takes loss Friday
Rotowire
Hoffman (1-1) blew a save and took the extra-inning loss against the White Sox on Friday, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and no walks with one strikeout while recording two outs in the 10th inning.
Hoffman entered the 10th inning with a 4-3 lead and recorded two outs before things unraveled. Tyler Heineman, who came in at catcher mid-inning to replace Alejandro Kirk (thumb), made an errant throw on a bunt single by Derek Hill that allowed the tying run to score. Hill then came around to score on a walkoff single by Tristan Peters. While Hoffman has allowed only one earned run and posted an 11:0 K:BB through his first five appearances this year, he's converted just one of three save chances after a tumultuous 2025 that ended with a blown save in Game 7 of the World Series.
Hoffman earned the save in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Athletics, allowing one hit and no walks with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
Hoffman was called upon to protect a three-run lead in the ninth and threw nine of 10 pitches for strikes to slam the door. It was a nice rebound after the 33-year-old blew his first save chance Friday, and he's racked up six punchouts through two appearances this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Blows Opening Day save chance
Rotowire
Hoffman (1-0) blew the save but came away with the win in Friday's game against the Athletics. He allowed one run on one hit while striking out four across one inning.
Hoffman was deployed in the ninth inning to preserve the Blue Jays' 2-1 lead. He struck out the first batter he faced before yielding a solo home run to Shea Langeliers. Hoffman struck out each of the next three batters faced (one reached base on a wild pitch), and he ended up coming away with the win after Andres Gimenez drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the frame. It wasn't the start to the season that Hoffman was hoping for, especially given that he blew the save opportunity in Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers in November. He's still considered the Blue Jays' closer, but guys like Yimi Garcia (elbow) and Louis Varland could get save opportunities if Hoffman can't get the job done this season.
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Plans to ease back on fastball
Rotowire
Hoffman plans to throw his four-seam fastball less often in 2026 while increasing his slider usage, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports.
Two years ago with the Phillies, Hoffman threw his slider 47.9 percent of the time and his four-seamer 27.4 percent, and the result was a 2.41 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 33.2 percent strikeout rate over 52.1 innings, as well as a barrel rate allowed in the 99th percentile and a hard-hit rate allowed in the 95th percentile. In 2025, while feeling the weight of a big free-agent contract from the Jays and his first season as a full-time closer, the right-hander tried to attack the zone more often and threw his fastball 37.4 percent of the time, while reducing his slider usage to 29.9 percent. His numbers took a big step backward as a result, highlighted by a first percentile barrel rate allowed and 58th percentile hard-hit rate allowed. A renewed emphasis on his slider, which generated a career-high 47.4 percent whiff rate last season, should help Hoffman regain some of the dominance that slipped away from him.
Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Receives vote of confidence
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Tuesday that he's "100 percent confident if [Hoffman] is closing most games," Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
GM Ross Atkins said early in the offseason that the Blue Jays weren't committed to using Hoffman as their primary closer in 2026, but it appears that's how the club will enter spring training. Toronto inked submariner Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 million contract during the winter to bolster the bullpen, but he has just three saves across the past four seasons despite consistently working in a high-leverage role and may be better suited for setup work. Hoffman's first season with the Blue Jays in 2025 was an up-and-down affair, as he closed the regular season with a 4.37 ERA and 1.19 WHIP while converting 33 of 40 save chances.
0:23
10:26
0:30
0:56
9:52
0:51
1:59
1:03
0:38
0:25
0:30
1:02
9:31
1:04
0:49
1:04
1:00
1:49
10:43
0:49
