Jeff Hoffman takes loss after error on pickoff

Hoffman heads to the shelf with two games remaining in the regular season. The 33-year-old has shared the closing role in Minnesota with Andrew Morris for the last couple weeks. He’s recorded one save along with a strong 2.50 ERA and 27/12 K/BB across 18 innings since being acquired from the Blue Jays at last month’s trade deadline. There should be some clarity on his health heading into the offseason at some point in the coming days.

Hoffman was summoned to close out the game in the bottom of the ninth with a two-run lead over the Giants. He walked the leadoff man, then hit the next batter before a sacrifice bunt put the tying run in scoring position. The Giants would bring one run across on a force out before Hoffman struck out the final batter to secure the win with his sixth save of the season.

Gómez retired only one of the five batters he faced before being replaced by Kody Funderburk, who saved Gómez’s ERA by inducing a double play. It left with the Twins with a one-run lead entering the ninth, but that was blown by A.J. Minter in what turned into an 11-inning loss. Gómez was back in action tonight following one day off after pitching three days in a row, and the Twins are simply asking for too much from him at the moment. He’s been a great surprise for the team this year, but he’s still an average reliever at best. One imagines that Jeff Hoffman, who pitched a scoreless seventh tonight, will get a chance to take over as the Twins’ closer next year. It should have happened after he was acquired last month.

Aaron Gleeman reports that the Jays are covering $3.77 million of the approximately $14.2 million that Hoffman is owed through the end of next year. The 33-year-old Hoffman figures to go back to closing in Minnesota after losing his job in Toronto to ex-Twin Louis Varland. He has a 3.94 ERA this season, but that comes with a 75/18 K/BB and only four homers allowed in 48 innings. He’s allowed three earned runs in 22 1/3 innings since the beginning of June. The acquisition of Hoffman probably makes Yoendrys Gómez droppable in mixed leagues.

Hoffman was instrumental in Toronto’s playoff success last year, but found himself out of the closer role with the emergence of Louis Varland, who ironically came over from the Twins at last year’s deadline. The 33-year-old should bolster Minnesota’s relief corps as they attempt to make a playoff push in the final two months.

This makes plenty of sense. The Phillies need another starter for the rotation and potentially another outfield bat as well. The Blue Jays could send any combination of Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, George Springer, and Daulton Varsho. The Phillies may also be interested in Jeff Hoffman for the bullpen. Would the Blue Jays want to take a chance that they can “fix” Andrew Painter? There is still time to go here and nothing imminent, but it seems like a pairing that makes sense.

The rally started with a soft liner that Ernie Clement could do nothing with and included a couple of more singles, a couple of steals and a long go-ahead sac fly that would have been a homer in 15 ballparks. The earned runs were the first allowed by Hoffman since June 6. He had since allowed one unearned run in 13 innings. He’s still throwing well enough to resume closing, but it seems highly unlikely that the Jays will give him that chance as long as Louis Varland remains healthy.

The Phillies took a 2-1 lead against Varland in the top of the ninth, but the Jays came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to win the game and make Varland 3-1 on the season. Jeff Hoffman pitched a scoreless seventh in a tie game tonight, but it probably won’t matter much what Hoffman does unless Varland blows a lead in the near future.

Hoffman came into a 6-1 game with one on and immediately gave up the homer to Alonso, adding one run to both his and Spencer Miles’ ledger. He then struck out Coby Mayo and induced a soft groundout from Leody Taveras. The home run ball, a far bigger issue last season, was the fourth allowed by Hoffman in 27 1/3 innings this year. It’s the absurd .492 BABIP that has caused most of Hoffman’s problems this season. He probably won’t be receiving any save chances in the short term after giving up five runs in the ninth the Orioles last Saturday.

Louis Varland had shut down the heart of the Orioles lineup in the eighth inning before Hoffman took the mound with a four-run lead in the ninth. It didn’t go well. Hoffman struck out the first batter, then allowed the next six batters to reach, bringing three runs in and loading the bases. Connor Seabold took over and walked in a run before Pete Alonso walked it off with a base hit. Hoffman had been pitching better of late, making six straight scoreless appearances. Though Saturday’s implosion certainly won’t help his cause in retaking the closer role. Varland remains the reliever to roster in Toronto.