During the 2025 season, Jeff Hoffman was used as the Toronto Blue Jays closer. It was an up-and-down year, but he was able to finish the regular season with 33 saves, which ranked fourth in the league.
He was certainly a key contributor to the team making the postseason and challenging the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. He is in the middle of a three-year deal he signed back in January, and will be returning next season.
However, it is unclear whether he will return to his role as the club's closer. General manager Ross Atkins spoke to the media on Thursday and made it apparent that he could see a different role in 2026.
Blue Jays GM opens the door for the club to sign a closer over the winter
During Atkin's media availability, he spoke about Hoffman's role. He views Hoffman as somebody who could be versatile in the bullpen, which could mean that Toronto is looking for a new closer over the winter, via MLB.com's Keegan Matheson.
"The great thing about Jeff is he's not married to that... I think he would be open to anything that makes us better."
Luckily for the Blue Jays, there are some elite closers on the open market. Despite rocky seasons, Toronto could see what it takes to sign Devin Williams or Ryan Helsley. However, much of the fanbase in the comment section is hoping the club can get a deal done with Edwin Diaz and have him shut the door in the ninth inning.
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