Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider comments on Jeff Hoffman's latest ninth inning blunder
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Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman's up-and-down season continued on Wednesday night costing them their 44th comeback win of the season.
After the Blue Jays scored a pair of runs in the eighth to tie it at 2-2, closer Jeff Hoffman surrendered a solo homer to Yainer Diaz in the ninth to spoil what had the makings of something special.
Can Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman be trusted in high-leverage situations going forward?
It continues to be a troubling trend for the Blue Jays closer, as it was the 15th long ball he's allowed this season, tied for the most given up by any reliever in MLB (Washington Nationals reliever Jackson Rutledge also gave up his 15th homer of the year on Wednesday).
John Schneider vowed to stand behind Hoffman, even as his propensity to surrender home runs continues.
The Blue Jays manager pointed to pitch deployment with Jeff Hoffman (which pitches he's throwing and where) when asked about the home runs.
«For him, I feel like a broken record,» Schneider said. «It's just one bad pitch. The home runs are obviously going to hurt you he's got good stuff. Still trust him.
«He's been throwing the ball really well.»
«He's been throwing the ball really well.»
When Hoffman signed the three-year, $33 million deal to return to the Blue Jays this off-season, he arrived as one of the stingiest relief arms in the majors.
Between 2023 and 2024, Hoffman ranked sixth among qualified relievers in ERA (2.28) and had allowed just nine homers while serving as a setup man for the Philadelphia Phillies.
That said, Hoffman has allowed 15 homers in his 62.1 innings of work this season, a trend that is likely to haunt the Jays, or at least worry them in the stretch drive and beyond.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 11 | 157 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider comments on Jeff Hoffman's latest ninth inning blunder Can Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman be trusted in high-leverage situations going forward? | ||
| Yes | 30 | 19.1 % |
| No | 127 | 80.9 % |
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