Toronto Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman will remain the team’s closer, manager John Schneider confirmed following another poor performance.
Hoffman had a terrible outing during the Blue Jays’ 6-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. After entering the game in the bottom of the eighth inning, Hoffman allowed two hits and then a walk to load the bases with zero outs. Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll then launched a monster grand slam over the left field fence to put the game away.
Although it wasn’t technically a blown save, Hoffman’s record this year drops to 1-2 with a ghastly 7.71 ERA, which is one of the worst ERAs for any reliever in baseball. Immediately following the loss, fans took to social media to vent their frustration, with many writing that they hope the Blue Jays strip Hoffman of his high-leverage closing duties. However, it appears that won’t be the case.
Speaking to reporters following the Blue Jays’ latest loss, Schneider confirmed that Hoffman will remain the team’s closer going forward.
“John Schneider says that Hoffman was used in the 8th today because the Blue Jays 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,” wrote Blue Jays reporter Keegan Matheson on X.
Jeff Hoffman and the Blue Jays Have Struggled This Year
The Blue Jays lost in Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, but there was hope that the team would have another big year after they signed numerous reinforcements during the offseason. However, the team has struggled badly out of the gate, going 7-13 through the first 20 games of the season. They do not look like a contender right now, but rather a pretender.
There is, of course, plenty of time to turn the season around, especially if the team gets healthy, as many of its top players are currently on the injured list. That being said, the poor performance of players such as Hoffman cannot happen anymore if the team is going to turn things around going forward.
Blue Jays Have Other Options at Closer
Instead of Hoffman, the Blue Jays do have several intriguing options at the closer role, if they do decide to eventually make a move.
During the offseason, the Blue Jays signed reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year, $37 contract, and thus far, Rogers has performed well with his new team, allowing just one earned run through his first nine appearances with the club. However, the submarine-style pitcher is not a hard thrower and lacks the strikeout ability that closers traditionally possess.
The other option at closer is Louis Varland, a hard-throwing relief pitcher who has been operating as a fireman for the Blue Jays this year. Varland has appeared in 10 games this year and has not allowed an earned run, while striking out 16 batters in 11 innings pitched. He has been ultra impressive, and given that he throws in the upper 90s, he makes sense as a closer.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jeff Hoffman Will Remain Blue Jays Closer, Says John Schneider appeared first on Heavy Sports.