TL;DR
- Jeff Hoffman's 2025 season ERA was 4.37, a significant increase from his previous year with the Philadelphia Phillies.
- He led the AL with 59 games finished and recorded 33 saves, striking out 84 hitters in 68.0 innings.
- Despite his regular season stats, Hoffman's Game 7 performance and overall struggles may lead to a trade this offseason.
- The Toronto Blue Jays have multiple closer options in free agency if they decide to move on from Hoffman.
While many Toronto Blue Jays supporters are displeased with Jeff Hoffman's Game 7 performance in the World Series, it's crucial to consider his full season's performance to determine if he met expectations as the team's closer.
While he was with the Philadelphia Phillies, it's fair to say Hoffman ranked among baseball's top relief pitchers. By 2025, however, his statistics had significantly worsened, with an ERA more than twice what it was in Philadelphia the previous year.
Hoffman posted a 4.37 ERA, but also finished 59 games, which led the AL.
He finished with 33 saves in 68.0 innings, also striking out 84 hitters.
On the surface, he's still not a bad arm, but Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes he could be dealt this offseason due to choking in the biggest moment in Blue Jays history and also struggling a bit during the regular season.
“Could also see the Blue Jays trading from their surplus of outfielders, especially if they're able to re-sign Bo Bichette, at which point they would be bringing back all 13 of the team leaders in plate appearances. But between the 4.37 ERA during the regular season and the Miguel Rojas home run that will live in infamy in Canada, if the Blue Jays aren't aggressively shopping Hoffman this winter, they're at least going to be receptive to offers. It helps that there are plenty of closers available in free agency to backfill that job,” he wrote.
Blue Jays have other options
As Miller noted, a silver lining to parting ways with Hoffman is the availability of several closer options.
The Blue Jays might find it simpler to let go of Hoffman if they could secure a player like Edwin Diaz during the offseason.
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