Jeff

Hoffman

Hoffman didn’t allow a hit and struck out one batter for his 22nd save of the season. After a brutal month of May, Hoffman has allowed just two earned runs in 13 innings since June 1, while striking out 14 and walking three. We would say he’s righting the ship pretty convincingly.

Hoffman worked around Jasson Domínguez’s double with one out, though things were a whole lot less urgent for Hoffman after the Jays upped their lead from one run to three in the bottom of the eighth. The appearance tonight was Hoffman’s fourth in five days, so he should get Friday off. Yimi García and Yariel Rodríguez will divvy up late-inning duties if the Jays have a lead.

It was a wild game, but Hoffman avoided a dramatic ninth, giving up only a soft single to Trent Grisham before getting Ben Rice to pop out to end it. Hoffman is the fourth pitcher to reach 20 saves this season, joining Josh Hader, Robert Suarez and Carlos Estévez.

Hoffman allowed a single and struck out one in a 22-pitch ninth. He also earned a save Sunday against the Red Sox, so he’ll probably need Tuesday off. Yariel Rodríguez might wind up with a save then.

It’s Hoffman’s first save since June 10. He got some help today from home plate umpire Mark Wegner, who decided to call Nick Sogard out on a borderline checked swing that we’re guessing the third-base ump would have waved off. Either way, the Red Sox were right to be upset that it wasn’t the third-base ump making the call.

Rodríguez got a pop fly, a groundout and a strikeout to end it and lowered his ERA to 2.97 in the process. Hoffman, who had pitched four of the previous five days, will be ready to go Friday after the Jays’ off day Thursday.

The Jays entered the ninth inning with a 10-6 advantage but after Chad Green put a couple of men on with two outs, manager John Schneider turned to Hoffman to close it out. He came on and immediately served up a three-run homer to Willson Contreras but then got Alec Burleson to harmlessly bounce out to second base to end the ballgame. On the season, the 32-year-old stopper now sports a 5.70 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 43/8 K/BB ratio over 30 innings of work while converting 17 of his first 20 save opportunities.

Hoffman had just one run to work with, so he had to prevent the automatic runner from scoring, which he accomplished by retiring the side on nine pitches. Although he’s given up a couple of homers along the way, Hoffman has converted six straight save chances since May 26.

Kody Clemens hit a leadoff homer in a two-run game, but Hoffman retired the next three batters he faced. The homer was the seventh surrendered by Hoffman in 26 2/3 innings this season. He gave up six in 66 1/3 innings last year and three in 52 1/3 innings in 2023. Still, he’s striking out more batters than ever this season, and he’s not giving up an abundance of hard contact besides the homers; he’s allowed just seven barrels, which would typically equate to three or four homers. Hoffman also pitched last night, so he should have Sunday off, potentially leading to a save chance for Yariel Rodríguez or Chad Green.

Hoffman put Byron Buxton on base as the tying run with a tough fought, two-out walk, but managed to punch out Trevor Larnach to close this game out. This now marks his longest consecutive outing stretch without allowing an earned run since the beginning of May at three.