Two more outs was all it would have taken.
The Toronto Blue Jays were excruciatingly close to winning their first World Series title since 1993, but closer Jeff Hoffman allowed a game-tying home run to Los Angeles Dodgers backup infielder Miguel Rojas in the winner-take-all Game 7. It was the continuation of a theme for Hoffman, who allowed 15 homers in the regular season, but also a bellwether of the bullpen issue that consistently slowed the Blue Jays from reaching their full potential.
Toronto has already flexed its muscles in free agency by reportedly agreeing to terms with sought-after starting pitcher Dylan Cease. It would be borderline shocking to see them arrive at spring training without addressing the bullpen as well.
On Tuesday, two baseball reporters predicted that Toronto would land the same two-time All-Star to shore up the back end of the bullpen.
Pete Caldera and Andrew Tredinnick of NorthJersey.com penned a roundup of free agency predictions on Tuesday, and both veteran beat reporters tabbed the Blue Jays to sign San Diego Padres closer Robert Suarez, who opted out of the final two years on his last contract at the start of November.
“A lot of teams could use him at the back end of the ‘pen, including the Dodgers,” wrote Caldera. “But the AL champs might have more motivation here.”
“A late collapse in the World Series should drive home a sense of urgency to shore up the ninth inning for 2026,” Tredinnick added.
He’s entering his age-35 season, but Suarez still regularly tops 100 mph on the radar gun and put up a 2.97 regular-season ERA, striking out 75 batters in 69 2/3 innings. He also led the National League with 40 saves, and has five more saves than any other pitcher in baseball since the start of last season.
Suarez has been well above league average in the closer role for the last two years and Hoffman’s peak came as a setup man last year, so perhaps that information would be enough to take the latter out of his role to begin the year. But regardless of which inning each is pitching, they both have the electric stuff to shut down rallies.
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