The Toronto Blue Jays have removed Jeff Hoffman from the closer position and shifted to a committee approach in the ninth inning while he works on adjustments. General manager Ross Atkins emphasized Hoffman's continued importance in high-leverage situations. The move follows a rough start to the 2026 season for the right-hander.
Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins announced Friday that the team has decided to share closing duties in the short term. The Blue Jays met with Hoffman on Thursday's off-day to outline the plan, aiming for more stability after recent struggles snowballed during road trips against the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Angels. Hoffman, who posted a 7.59 ERA this season, will still pitch important innings but not exclusively in the ninth. Atkins said, “In the short term, we are going to share that [closing] responsibility. [Hoffman’s] still going to be getting very important outs for us, and I very much believe in him as a weapon for us.” Reliever Louis Varland, one of the top performers in baseball this month, figures to see more ninth-inning action, alongside Tyler Rogers, Mason Fluharty, or Braydon Fisher based on matchups. Manager John Schneider highlighted the need for better pitch deployment and count management. Schneider noted, “What do we have to do to get you ahead in counts and keep you in counts? ... He’s still a damn good pitcher. I don’t want to lose sight of that.” Hoffman's challenges include walks, hit batters, and home runs, contrasting his dominant stretches where he recorded 24 of 32 outs via strikeouts this year. Atkins added, “I immediately think that we need to be better as an organization in the deployment of his arsenal and how we're helping him, putting him in situations [to] be successful.” The team hopes lower-leverage spots will help Hoffman regain form and return to closing.
