Shaker High School graduate Jeff Hoffman has been added to the United States baseball roster for the World Baseball Classic final, giving the Latham community a local connection to one of the biggest games in international baseball. Hoffman, who currently pitches for the Toronto Blue Jays, was brought onto the Team USA squad to replace retired star Clayton Kershaw, according to a report from MLB.com.
The roster move comes after Team USA’s 5-3 victory over Canada in the quarterfinals. Kershaw, a three-time National League Cy Young Award winner and 18-year MLB veteran, came out of retirement to join the team but did not appear in any of the tournament’s five games. He will remain with Team USA in a supporting role for the rest of the tournament, as noted by the Times Union.
Hoffman, 33, just finished a standout season in which he helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2025, he anchored Toronto’s bullpen, finishing an MLB-best 59 games with a 9-7 record, 33 saves, and a 4.37 ERA. A 2024 MLB All-Star with the Philadelphia Phillies, Hoffman returned to Toronto for the 2025 season on a three-year, $33 million contract. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Team USA is set to face Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic final at 8 p.m. in Miami. Hoffman’s addition strengthens the American bullpen as they aim to capture the championship title. The game is expected to draw national attention, especially with a local athlete from Latham now positioned to make an impact on the international stage.
Looking ahead, Team USA fans will be watching closely to see if Hoffman gets the call to pitch in the final and help bring home a World Baseball Classic championship.