Hoffman struck out one in a perfect ninth inning Wednesday to record his ninth save of the season in a 4-3 win over the Dodgers.
Jose Alvarado was called upon to face Freddie Freeman and the heart of the Los Angeles order in the eighth inning, leaving the save chance to Hoffman. That's been the norm of late, as Hoffman has saves in four straight appearances since June 30, while Alvarado has only one save and one hold during that time. Hoffman's performance has earned him increased responsibility, as he hasn't walked a batter in over a month and has a 1.69 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 13:0 K:BB over his last 10.2 innings. Manager Rob Thomson will play matchups in high-leverage spots with the left-handed Alvarado and the right-handed Hoffman, but the latter seems the better bet for saves heading into the All-Star break.