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.
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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.
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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.
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Schneider has recorded a . 136 batting average and 29 strikeouts in 66 at-bats.
