The Blue Jays might be closing in on their first division title in a decade but there’s an elephant in the room that is only going to keep getting bigger as the post-season approaches.
The bullpen has been a problem since the all-star break. Long relief, middle relief, high leverage, it doesn’t matter, there are red flags all over the place, and nowhere are the concerns greater than in the ninth inning.
The Jays appeared to be close to earning their second consecutive come-from-behind victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Then closer Jeff Hoffman entered and everything changed with one swing of the bat, as it has far too many times already this season.
Hoffman served up a solo homer to Yainer Diaz in the top of the ninth inning, which spoiled a two-run comeback by the Jays in the eighth and saddled them with a 3-2 loss on at the Rogers Centre. It was the third defeat in four games for the Jays, who still maintained a three-game lead over the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.
“I feel like a broken record, it’s just one bad pitch,” Jays manager John Schneider said after the game. “I feel like they go hand in hand with Hoff. The home runs are obviously going to hurt you, but I think, in that situation, we were trying to go in on Diaz all night and it was just kind of middle-middle.
“The difference between when he’s really good and when he has a rough outing, that’s kind of it.”
Hoffman has allowed 15 home runs this season, the most by any reliever in the majors. He also has seven blown saves and seven losses while sporting an ugly 4.76 ERA in his first full season as a closer. There have been moments of greatness but there also have been far too many moments of despair.
They won’t admit it, but the Jays surely expected more when they handed Hoffman a three-year deal worth $33 million (U.S.) during the off-season to take over the closer duties from Jordan Romano. The early returns in April were promising when Hoffman allowed just two runs in 15 1/3 innings while winning three games and earning six saves.Â
Dating back to May 1, Hoffman has surrendered 31 runs in 47 innings since May 1, a 5.94 ERA, and most of that damage has been coming on homers. After serving up just eight over the last two seasons combined, he has allowed 14 in the last four-plus months.
“I think teams prepare a little bit differently for a closer,” Schneider said. “What we’ve been looking at in particular is the pitch deployment, when you’re throwing what pitch in what count. He’s got three different weapons that are really good and I think trying to use them all appropriately is kind of where the damage has (come).”
The Jays have consistently defended their closer and Schneider has yet to display a willingness to have someone else take his job. But even if Schneider wanted to make a move, his options are limited.
Right-hander Seranthony Dominguez would be the logical candidate. He had closing experience with Philadelphia and has pitched in high-leverage spots most of his career, but he has had his own problems since joining the Jays at the trade deadline. His 3.68 ERA since July 30 is OK, his 10 walks over those 14 2/3 innings aren’t.
Plus, if Hoffman were to be removed from the closer’s role, he would still be required to pitch late in games because the Jays don’t have anyone else to take the innings. Louis Varland, Yariel Rodriguez and Brendon Little are already used a lot while Tommy Nance and Braydon Fisher have started to take on greater responsibilities. Come playoff time, when starters don’t often go deep into games, the Jays will need all of them.
So, whether he’s pitching in the seventh, eighth, or ninth, it doesn’t really matter. Hoffman needs to stop giving up as many home runs.
Hoffman’s rough outing overshadowed what could have been another triumphant night for the Jays. After pulling off a dramatic come-from-behind victory against the Astros on Tuesday night, the Jays entered the eighth inning trailing 2-0 until Andrés Giménez and Nathan Lukes came through with RBI singles.
Momentum was on the Jays’ side until it wasn’t. Hoffman came out for the ninth and, after Victor Caratini hit a sharp line-out to centre field, Diaz crushed one over the wall in left. Diaz’s 19th homer of the year was the difference as Astros reliever Bryan Abreu tossed a scoreless bottom half of the frame to saddle Hoffman and the Jays with the crushing loss.
If there’s any small consolation for the Jays, they have overcome Hoffman’s struggles in the past to become the top team in the AL East. That might have to continue.
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