Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman delivered a perfect ninth inning on Thursday night, striking out two batters to secure a 2-0 victory over the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
It was his first save since April 20.
Hoffman's Return to Form
Hoffman was called upon to close the game because closer Louie Varland had pitched the previous two nights.
The right-hander had lost his primary closer role after an April 21 outing against the Los Angeles Angels.
Following that appearance, the Blue Jays adopted a closer-by-committee approach as Hoffman carried a 7.59 ERA through his first 12 outings.
Since losing the role, he posted a 3.72 ERA across 10 appearances prior to Thursday.
Overall this season, Hoffman holds a 2-3 record with three blown saves, a 5.75 ERA, and a 1.82 WHIP in 22 appearances.
Despite those numbers, he has recorded 35 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
Other Blue Jays Struggles
Catcher Tyler Heineman and infielder/outfielder Davis Schneider have also faced persistent struggles during the 2026 MLB campaign.
Heineman has batted . 150 with a .
340 OPS and 14 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances.
Schneider has recorded a . 136 batting average and 29 strikeouts in 66 at-bats.
