Jeff Hoffman must not become a problem again

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
Jeff Hoffman must not become a problem again
Credit: TSN

In the Blue Jays' first series of the regular season, Jeff Hoffman was credited with both a blown save and a win in the same game.

In baseball lingo, when a relief pitcher has both of those, it means the final inning of the game was most likely quite eventful.

Hoffman had indeed given up a home run to tie the game, before watching his teammates hit well to secure the win.

Let's be honest: it's normal for a pitcher to have an off day sometimes. It doesn't necessarily mean the pitcher is always bad. And sure enough, two days later, he recorded a save.

But because Hoffman struggled in 2025, because he said the team lost the World Series “because of him,” and because the team tried to replace him as closer this winter, his performance on Friday quickly sparked a lot of talk.

On the Blue Bird Territory podcast, the panelists noted that the relief pitcher would be under intense scrutiny and that his ability to bounce back would be closely examined.

Many fans are willing to give him a chance, but many others believe Toronto needs to find a better arm for the ninth inning. And the start of the season proves one group right in particular…

The sample size is tiny, though. But after a year in the closer role, Hoffman doesn't have much leeway left. And I imagine he knows that all too well.

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