Blue Jays Veteran Chris Bassitt Expresses Confidence in Embattled Relief Pitcher
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The Toronto Blue Jays are still atop the American League East entering play on Aug. 28 with a 78-56 record, but there are still a few things for them to figure out down the stretch.
Their biggest concern at this point is their relief pitching. Manager John Schneider has to figure out how the backend of the bullpen is going to line up, a job that is easier said than done based on some of the recent performances. Toronto’s bullpen had been performing at just about league average coming into August, but the wheels have fallen off a bit.
One of the most concerning developments has been the performance of closer Jeff Hoffman. It has been a roller coaster ride throughout the 2025 regular season. The peaks have been impressive, but the valleys have been brutal. Recently, he has been at another low.
Can Jeff Hoffman Regain Consistency on Mound?
Against the Miami Marlins on Aug. 23, he was charged with a blown save, giving up one run in the ninth inning. Luckily, Toronto was able to hold on and win that game, coming away with a 7-6 victory in 12 innings. A few days later, he returned to the mound, and the results were even more disastrous.
Hoffman was called upon to protect a 4-3 in the top of the ninth. It was erased instantly, with the leadoff hitter that inning, Mickey Gasper, taking him deep for a solo home run. Things got even worse after Austin Martin hit a single and Brooks Lee was hit by a pitch, sandwiching a Ryan Jeffers ground out.
On the verge of escaping the inning after Luke Keaschall hit a fly ball, the biggest blow was delivered by Matt Wallner. He launched a three-run home run, giving the Twins a 7-4 lead, which just a few minutes later turned into a 7-5 final score. It was a brutal turn of events for Hoffman, who has been dealing with home run issues all campaign.
WALLY, SAY HELLO TO THE BULLPEN! 👋 pic.twitter.com/d3bLSjtmCC
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 27, 2025
During his two-year stint with the Philadelphia Phillies, he surrendered only nine home runs in 118.2 innings. Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2022, he has given up only 14 long balls combined. This newfound issue giving up the longball is something he needs to figure out down the stretch, but his teammates are confident he is still the right guy for the job.
“I don’t think much of it,” Chris Bassitt said, via Mitch Bannon of The Athletic (subscription required). “His numbers, obviously, I know aren’t where they need to be. But I think about the same guy that pretty much carried us for two straight months and then, yes, had a couple bad ones. But overall, I trust him more than anyone.”
Hoffman has a 4.35 ERA in August after a shutout inning was pitched on Aug. 27. His season-long ERA sits at 4.69 through 55.2 innings with 75 strikeouts. There have been some truly dominant stretches for him, as Bassitt noted, such as his brilliant start.
In March/April, he had an ERA of 1.17 across 15.1 innings. He was disastrous in May with an inflated 13.50 ERA. Dominance returned in June with lights out performances, producing a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings of work. But his ERA has been over 4.00 in two consecutive months now.
The inconsistencies have been tough to navigate, but the talent is there for Hoffman to succeed. Prior to the back-to-back outings with runs allowed, he had nine consecutive scoreless outings. It has been a roller coaster with 29 saves and seven blown saves, but hopefully, the ride ends on a high note.
