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Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Drops into closer committee
Rotowire
GM Ross Atkins announced Friday that Hoffman could still see occasional save chances but will no longer be the primary closer as the Blue Jays shift to a committee approach, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Manager John Schneider was noncommittal about Hoffman as Toronto's closer earlier this week after the reliever near blew his fourth save of the season, so it's not a major surprise the club is making a change. It doesn't appear to be a full demotion for the 33-year-old right-hander, who recorded 33 saves with a 4.37 ERA during the 2025 regular season, but it also wouldn't be surprising for him to get some work in lower-leverage spots. Hoffman has surrendered nine earned runs with a 24:6 K:BB across 10.2 innings this year. Louis Varland was the only other player mentioned as a potential closer, but the Blue Jays are also expected to utilize some other arms for the ninth inning.
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Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Manager noncommittal on closer role
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider did not commit to Hoffman as his closer when asked Wednesday if he would consider using other relievers in the ninth inning, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
Schneider said he's "not ready to make a firm comment" on the closer role, noting that he wants to have a discussion with Hoffman before announcing a decision. Hoffman was pulled from a save chance Tuesday versus the Angels with the bases loaded and one run already in. He was relieved by Louis Varland, who closed things out by inducing a game-ending double-play ball on the one and only pitch he threw. Hoffman has struck out 24 in 10.2 innings this season, but he's walked six, blown three saves and posted a 7.59 ERA and 2.06 WHIP. If Schneider does opt for a change at closer, Varland should be next in line.
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Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Nearly blows game for Toronto
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Hoffman hit two batters and allowed one run on two hits while striking out a batter during the Blue Jays' 4-2 win over the Angels on Tuesday.
Hoffman got the call to protect the Blue Jays' 4-1 lead in the ninth. He started the inning strongly by striking out Zach Neto, but the right-hander's night quickly turned for the worse. Hoffman yielded a single to Mike Trout before hitting the next two batters he faced. Blue Jays manager John Schneider saw enough after his closer gave up an RBI single to Yoan Moncada, turning to Louis Varland to close things out -- which he did on just one pitch that produced a double play. Hoffman wasn't charged with a blown save, but the fact he was pulled from a high-leverage situation is not a good sign for his job security as Toronto's closer. He sits at a 7.59 ERA, 2.06 WHIP and 24:6 K:BB across 10.2 innings.
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Blue Jays' Jeff Hoffman: Fans three in third save
Rotowire
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.
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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.
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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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