"Hoffman has pitched to a 4.32 ERA through nine games so far this season, spanning 8 1/3 innings. After a disastrous outing on Tuesday in Milwaukee, where his command issues led to another blown save, there are now questions as to whether the right-hander should still be the closer in Toronto."
"Varland's velocity is without a doubt one of the reasons fans are enthralled with the right hander as he can top out at 99 MPH on his fastball, while also incorporating a devastating knuckle curveball that has seen batters hit just .210 against it last season."
"The Minnesota product has proven to be a big part of John Schneider's circle, and after coming in for extra innings against the Brewers on Monday and striking out Joey Ortiz to end the ninth and Gary Sanchez to end the ballgame in the 10th inning, he is at the very least getting looks from the coaching staff in higher-intensity roles."
Jeff Hoffman has faced challenges as the Blue Jays' closer, recording a 4.32 ERA and three blown saves early in the 2026 season. Despite a successful previous season with 33 saves, command issues have raised doubts about his role. Ross Atkins indicated that Hoffman is not strictly tied to the closer position, leading to discussions about other options. Varland has emerged as a potential alternative, showcasing impressive velocity and performance, including a record-setting postseason appearance, although he has faced some struggles this season.
Read at BlueJaysNation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]