Blue Jays: Jeff Hoffman has proven he’s worth every penny with his postseason performance

His career as a starter hasn’t been smooth, and in 2021 he joined the Cincinnati Reds as a bulk reliever who could make occasional starts. Hoffman’s 2022 with the Reds was solid, but it wasn’t until 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies that Hoffman became a high-leverage reliever. He spent two successful seasons there before returning to the team that drafted him.

Hoffman’s regular season didn’t go great. He appeared in 71 career games and posted a 4.37 ERA and 4.90 FIP in 68 innings pitched. He had a strong 29.3 K% and a respectable 9.4 BB%, but struggled mightily with home runs. In those 68 innings, Hoffman gave up 15 home runs, the second most for any reliever other than Jackson Rutledge.

He’s carried that momentum into the postseason, and then some. Hoffman has been worth every penny of that contract in his nine appearances, as he gave up just one earned run in eleven innings of work, striking out sixteen and walking four, two of which were intentional.

Overall, Hoffman has a 0.82 ERA and 1.86 FIP, with a 37.2 K% and 9.3 BB% rate, which drops to 4.7 BB% when the intentional walks are removed. Of course, Hoffman has also had some big outs this postseason.

Take, for example, his second game of the postseason, Game 4 of the American League Divisional Series. In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Blue Jays led 5-1, but the Yankees were threatening with runners on first and second base and two outs. Hoffman walked the first batter he faced to plate the tying run, but got Austin Wells to strike out, ending the inning.

After eight pitches, Hoffman was back there for the bottom of the ninth. Jasson Domínguez hit a lead-off double and was cashed in when Aaron Judge hit a two-out single, Hoffman’s only blemish this postseason. Luckily, Hoffman took out Cody Bellinger to give the Blue Jays the series over their division rivals.

That was one of two saves for Hoffman this postseason. The day before his second, Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, Hoffman threw 35 pitches over two innings in the Blue Jays’ 6–2 win over the Seattle Mariners, setting up Game 7.

Hoffman pitched in three games during the World Series, allowing two hits in three and two-thirds innings. For the second time, he threw more than 30 pitches in a two-inning effort. Luckily, he had a day of rest before retiring the final three outs in Game 5.

His regular season may not have been great, but Hoffman has proven his worth this postseason.