The One Blue Jays Problem That Remains Unaddressed…

46 comments

1. On another YouTube channel, there was a trade suggestion made between the Jays and the Cardinals, where we would get lefty reliever JoJo Romero and Lars Nootbar (OF) for Anthony Santander, Nathan Lukes, Bowden Francis, and Johnny King (lefty). Though I think JoJo Romero would be a good addition to the bullpen, that price is way too steep. We'd be giving away too much to get Nootbar and Romero. I'm no fan of Santander, but it's almost guaranteed that he'll hit 20 more homers and 60-70 more RBI than he did last year. He stays, even if he doesn't fit the profile of the 'new Jays' player. Seranthony Domingues signed with the Chisox. We need to shore up our bullpen and get another power bat. It's looking more and more like last off-season, where we make a big splash early, then scramble to meet our most essential needs (big-time closer and power bat) before the season starts. I'm sure Atkins is working hard to make deals, but it just shows you how tough the competition is to land the players you want, even if your team made it to the World Series the year before—ask the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2. Did we forget about the medicals done by the Braves and Orioles medical staff on Hoffman that scared them away? Jays need to tread carefully and manage his workload.

   I would like to see the Jays try to get Griffin Jax whom they were interested in last trade deadline.

   I’m surprised they didn’t sign Pete Fairbanks and his high release point who would pair well with Rogers in the late innings. Maybe see how he does with the Marlins and go get him at the trade deadline.

3. I agree. We can turn Varland into the closer.

4. As hard as it may be for Jays fans to wait until the season begins, that may very well be the best suggestion. We should see what our current players can achieve. Most of them have the experience of last season to build on, and we've gotten reinforcements and/or replacements for those who have left (Bichette, Domingues, Scherzer?, Bassitt?). I would say that we should sign Bassitt on a 2-yr contract as a middle-inning guy.

5. Yea because they yet again spent all offseason chasing very expensive pipe dreams.

6. This man cost us the world series 😢😢😢😢

7. lol Jays gonna be losing a lot of games in the 9th

8. He was one of the best bullpen arms in baseball for 2 years. I'm not writing him off after 1 subpar season

9. I’m probably in the minority but I don’t mind Hoffman even though he struggled at times.

10. Dude I do like Varland, but there were numerous times he came into the game and first batter he faces hit a home run against him. Varland is not the answer. At least not without more development. Both him and Hoffman struggled with giving up home runs at times when that was the last thing the team needed.

11. why was he put in as a closer in the final game when he has blown wins in the previous games. Schneider has some responsibility for the Jays loss not just Hoffman.

12. Hoffman should be our closer. Hes played great most of last year. He had an awful May, which made his numbers for the whole year look worse. If you take away his stats in the month of May last year, his ERA drops by like 2

13. Jeff Hoffman showed us over seeveral months that he does not have what it takes to be a closer. What else do the Jays need to see to come to the realization that he isn’t a closer? It’s like Romano all over again.

14. I can’t watch this, homerun Hoffmans photo alone gives me major PTSD .. I will not watch him pitch this season… game will be turned off ..

15. I think Varland and Hoffman will switch rolls

16. NO. Hoffman gave up a home run to the 9th batter in the WS. He is not salvageable.

17. Apologies if I'm misunderstanding it but isn't Tyler Rogers our new closer? I mean the days after we signed him everyone was talking about how the Jays have the highest and lowest release point for a pitcher with Trey and Tyler, that Trey can start off a game well and then Tyler closing it confidently. So was Tyler just meant to be used as bullpen help after all?

18. Hoffman ain't it folks

19. I for one am going to wait until spring training starts and we get to see who is going to pitch where, is there a closer on that staff somewhere? Chances are yes there is, could be Hoffman could be someone else, until the season starts it's all speculation, the Jays have certainly improved their pitching staff now we just have to wait and see how the staff progresses, each season is different, Hoffman was pretty bad for stretches of last season, but not always so yeah, I am going to wait and see what happens.

20. This has been a serious problem for years. Hoffman isn't bad but he has blown several saves and the fans have had to really play with heart medication when he has been on. We also can't use him every game.

    He needs to realize that his opposition will do anything to HR and he needs to find a way to exploit that mentality but also mix up pitches a lot better so they aren't as easy to read.

21. Dude is MEGA WASHED!!!

22. He is too inconsistent to be a closer.

23. Looks like they're rolling with that they have in the bullpen, and the trade deadline is when they upgrade their closer.
    There's a lot of recency bias towards Jeff Hoffman, as evidenced by comments by people who don't remember his 2025 postseason stats.
    That said, Hoffman was very streaky during the 2025 regular season, and he got worse when overexposed and overworked. I don't fully trust him in the closer role, but he's better than most people think.

24. Varland needs to start in the closer role, keep hoff for leverage right handers

25. I suspect Jeff Hoffman is best kept away from the Rogers centre, on a hot day resulting in the air being light and less force is required to push it out of the way. If nobody had been breathing in the Rogers centre during game 7, then the air would have been lighter, and the ball would not have travelled as far.

26. Guys I just miss baseball. thats all.

27. Chris bassit was a beast in the pen, gonna miss him

28. Hoffman is fine, but he got abused. He is not Kent Tekulve; he can't throw everyday. When he was getting rest, he was awesome. He started to slide when he was being pitched 3 out of 4 and usually warming in case on the off days. I am no brilliant mind, but I was cussing Schneider when he brought him in in game 6. They were behind and he would be needed the next day. Save him! There is a heck of a difference from when he is throwing 95 and throwing 97/98! More than velocity, control goes when tired, and as much as that, bite on the breaking stuff. The Jays get too matchy matchy and burn their guys in the pen. All of the 3 who gave up home runs in game 7, barely established a fastball. Hoff left a spinner over the heart. Bieber the same. Tray, a middling split in the zone. How about a fastball for off-speed pitches to off speed to?

29. An alternate closer would be great to help keep Hoff fresh. Garcia pitching healthy would do it. Often the best closer seasons seem to go to closers on non contenders because, maybe, they only pitch to save games and have to do so less

30. Hoffman is gonna have a crazy bounce back and career year hop on Hoffman fc be4 it’s too late

31. Of course we need a closer dude. We need an impact bat too. Also, another starter would help. I don’t trust berrios.

32. It baffles me shatkins let go Bo and didn’t adress our number 1 problem all year. A closer .

33. Cant rely on Hoffman. He would be much better as a set up man against the other teams bottom of order.

34. Jays should send a package to the Padres for Mason Miller

35. I'm just gonna put this here because I keep seeing it everywhere from multiple fan bases and it's getting nauseating at this point. Stop talking about Mason Miller as an option. The Padres are not trading him this year. There is zero reason for them to move him especially after what they just gave up to get him. They are in cost cutting mode and trading Miller would be the complete antithesis of that. He's not moving. Period. End of story. STOP. ASKING.

36. Meh, Hoffman will prove it's his job and it will be fine, or they'll transition to Varland who's stuff is even better. Not really worried.

37. The one problem I still think there’s more than one issue. The Blue Jays do not have a single left-handed starting pitcher and they don’t even have a good left-handed bullpen arm there’s two more issues that should’ve been addressed and never did. getting another big bat which they failed to do and asked for Hoffman if you can’t trust him to go into the ninth as a closer with a one run lead, which you shouldn’t then what’s the difference if you do that in the eighth with the one run lead?

38. Yes, Hoffman was solid, but most of those were when he had pretty big leads. Hoffman seems to choke when he only has a one or two run lead. Look at those stats what’s the ERA when he has a one run lead.

39. Mason Miller will be closer by time playoffs come around

40. Maybe Tyler Rogers could become the closer. Jeff Hoffman choked in the World Series in a big way.

41. I've been defending Hoffman do anyone who downplays him.

    The truth is, I was very irritated at points in the season with him. Like you said…he was great, and then he wasn't. Over and over. I was thinking to myself…"How many homeruns is he going to give up today?"…

    But, we couldn't have made it as far in the playoffs without him. He was the Lights out guy. Until game 7, but that could've happened to anybody.

    Then I look at his 3 previous years before he came to Toronto…or, more specifically…his 2 previous years. He was elite…and I'm sure he can become elite again.

    I would bet on last year just being a bump in the road for him. I was open to getting another closer and still having Hoffman on the team…but the fact that we didn't, or haven't yet, doesn't really bother me.

    I'm sure he has a shorter leash than last year…but I don't think he'll need leeway.

    If the Jays feel uncomfortable with him 3 quarters of the way through the season, I'm sure they'll get some extra help by trading for it. But I believe in the guy at least 80%.

42. 3rd worst at homeruns should tell you we aren’t comfortable level with Hoffman. Shatkins failed to get this need met, and failed to get another impact bat.

43. Did you update the camera?

44. Jeff Hoffman is our guy 💪 but it’s nice they picked up Tyler Rogers just in case

45. dude blew the world series and they couldn't even address this position

46. The offense is not going to regress, barring significant injury…that's my take. I say run with Hoffman….it might not be a popular sentiment but I do think he's earned it. If he falters? My first choice is Varland.