Blue Jays manager John Schneider defends decision to use Jeff Hoffman in 8th vs Diamondbacks
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Corbin Carroll hit a grand slam to break an eighth-inning tie and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the struggling Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 on Saturday night for their fourth straight victory.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider wasted no time explaining his decision to use Jeff Hoffman in the 8th to reporters following the game.
John Schneider says that Hoffman was used in the 8th today because the #BlueJays want to keep him on a more regular workload and not leave too long of a gap. He reiterated that Hoffman is the closer and stated his support for him multiple times, as he has in the past.
Schneider, in so many words, told reporters like it or not Hoffman is the closer.
John Schneider:
“I know there may be people who don’t want to hear this, but I’ve got a lot of trust and confidence in Jeff Hoffman.”
“If there’s a situation to close out a game, I’ll take Jeff Hoffman.”
“I know there may be people who don’t want to hear this, but I’ve got a lot of trust and confidence in Jeff Hoffman.”
“If there’s a situation to close out a game, I’ll take Jeff Hoffman.”
Hoffman, pitching in the eighth in a 2-2 tie, allowed singles to Ildemaro Vargas and Alek Thomas and a Ketel Marte walk before Corbin Carroll cleared the bases with his third home run of the season.
CORBIN CARROLL GRAND SLAM! @DBACKS LEAD IN THE 8TH!
It was the second straight poor outing for Hoffman, who allowed two earned runs during a messy ninth in Tuesday’s 9-7, 10-inning win at Milwaukee and adds yet another concern to a roster filled with them.
Max Scherzer steadied after two short outings tied to his forearm tendinitis with six innings of two-run ball, but the ongoing offensive issues remained for the Blue Jays, who got only Jesus Sanchez’s RBI single in the first, bringing home Lukes to open the scoring, and a Kazuma Okamoto RBI single in the sixth that made it a 2-2 game.
That was despite 12 hits as they went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
But as so often has been the case for the Blue Jays, the key blow belonged to their opponent. The Jays have lost four straight and slipped to 7-13.
Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (0-1, 2.42) was set to face RHP Ryne Nelson (1-1, 3.54) on Sunday in the series finale.
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