Game 162 - Rays @ Jays, 3:07PM, Page 43

[duppyy]

Do the nerds at the top really think hoffman should be the closer for the playoffs?

[xAIRNESSx]

We’re basically at the point that any one of our other pitchers would be a more effective closer

[Michael Bradley]

Using Hoffman as the closer regardless of performance is definitely a front office call. Maybe they promised this to him to get him to sign, I don’t know, but this is beyond a manager showing blind faith. Hoffman does have the best track record of anyone in the pen based on his 2023-24 when he was great, but 2025 has been far from it. Jordan Romano was Mariano Rivera compared to Hoffman this season.

[Mehar]

He had like 6-7 horrific misses lmao that last slider heavy threw was painted tho.

That was one of the worst pitching performances I've ever seen in my life. Without umpire help, he walks 4 hitters in a row and I don't think he made a single effective pitch the entire outing.

Meanwhile, this FO watched that and it reiterated their commitment to Hoffman as our closer.

This is the same front office who think they are smarter than everyone else. That is why they were the only front office in MLB who was willing to absorb the entire ridiculous almost 100 million contract for Gimenez, outbid every MLB team to sign a broken down 41 year old Max Scherzer, offered a 5 year guarantee for an overrated Santander, and guaranteed 3 years to Jeff Coughman (when three teams the Phillies, Braves, and Orioles passed on signing him). They think they are smarter than everyone else, but in reality they are the dumbest.

Other front offices would have done a much better job building an elite team if they had a Top 5 payroll like the Jays. No way after tonight should Jeff Coughman be the Closer if this team is serious about winning a post-season game in almost a decade. Coughman looked scared on the mound, and did not trust any of his pitches. Thankfully for his sake, the umpire saved him with generous strike calls that were actually balls. His command and velocity is not Closer material right now. Let Fisher or Dominguez be the guys going forward.

[Raps in 4]

Using Hoffman as the closer regardless of performance is definitely a front office call. Maybe they promised this to him to get him to sign, I don’t know, but this is beyond a manager showing blind faith. Hoffman does have the best track record of anyone in the pen based on his 2023-24 when he was great, but 2025 has been far from it. Jordan Romano was Mariano Rivera compared to Hoffman this season.

Relief pitcher performance varies so much from season to season that his career track record of two good seasons is completely meaningless.

[Randle McMurphy]

Using Hoffman as the closer regardless of performance is definitely a front office call. Maybe they promised this to him to get him to sign, I don’t know, but this is beyond a manager showing blind faith. Hoffman does have the best track record of anyone in the pen based on his 2023-24 when he was great, but 2025 has been far from it. Jordan Romano was Mariano Rivera compared to Hoffman this season.

Relief pitcher performance varies so much from season to season that his career track record of two good seasons is completely meaningless.

They were two elite seasons, he was arguably the best RP in baseball in 2023-2024

He then became a choker

[JN]

Being up 5 games about 9 days ago, we certainly didn't want to be in a 50/50 position.

But as of now, we indeed have at least a 50% chance of taking this....which means we have a good chance of blowing it to. But winning the first game was pretty damn crucial.

And of course the flaws rose again, but that is what it is at this point. Hope it somehow pulls it out, and hope the 5 days off sparks something.

[Mehar]

Using Hoffman as the closer regardless of performance is definitely a front office call. Maybe they promised this to him to get him to sign, I don’t know, but this is beyond a manager showing blind faith. Hoffman does have the best track record of anyone in the pen based on his 2023-24 when he was great, but 2025 has been far from it. Jordan Romano was Mariano Rivera compared to Hoffman this season.

Relief pitcher performance varies so much from season to season that his career track record of two good seasons is completely meaningless.

They were two elite seasons, he was arguably the best RP in baseball in 2023-2024

He then became a choker

Hoffman was a pretty terrible pitcher for 7 years with Colorado and Cincinnati, before his last two seasons in Philadelphia where he was a 7th and 8th Inning pitcher. Maybe he is just not Closer material, and should be a 7th/8th Inning guy next year. His numbers this year reflect what they did in Cincinnati in 2021/2022. He was truly atrocious for 5 years in Colorado before that so we can ignore those numbers.

Some guys just choke when the lights shine brightest, and their meant to be 7th/8th Inning guys. Jeff Coughman is one of those guys potentially. Another reason why this front office should have went all out to get another elite Closer like Duran at the deadline. This off-season, hopefully a new GM (if Atkins is not brought back) does what it takes to bring another Closer in the fold that will push Hoffman to a 7th/8th Inning role for 2026.

[JN]

I agree with Davidi's take.

If Sunday is a win and you for sure get the bye situation you go Gausman.
If Sunday is a win and need help situation from Baltimore, you do something else.

[Chris7711]

Wow, those multiple losses to Baltimore, whitesox,athletic's, k.c and rays..should I mention the angels..if we had just squeezed 1 win from so many compounded losses to these teams...pirates and nationals recently too..we were all excited going into these series..oh, just remembered the twins after their selloff

[Randle McMurphy]

Relief pitcher performance varies so much from season to season that his career track record of two good seasons is completely meaningless.

They were two elite seasons, he was arguably the best RP in baseball in 2023-2024

He then became a choker

Hoffman was a pretty terrible pitcher for 7 years with Colorado and Cincinnati, before his last two seasons in Philadelphia where he was a 7th and 8th Inning pitcher. Maybe he is just not Closer material, and should be a 7th/8th Inning guy next year. His numbers this year reflect what they did in Cincinnati in 2021/2022. He was truly atrocious for 5 years in Colorado before that so we can ignore those numbers.

Some guys just choke when the lights shine brightest, and their meant to be 7th/8th Inning guys. Jeff Coughman is one of those guys potentially. Another reason why this front office should have went all out to get another elite Closer like Duran at the deadline. This off-season, hopefully a new GM (if Atkins is not brought back) does what it takes to bring another Closer in the fold that will push Hoffman to a 7th/8th Inning role for 2026.

He was a starting pitcher before that so it makes very little sense to cite those seasons

[Randle McMurphy]

I agree with Davidi's take.

If Sunday is a win and you for sure get the bye situation you go Gausman.
If Sunday is a win and need help situation from Baltimore, you do something else.

I think even the FO clowns will figure that one out

[Mehar]

They were two elite seasons, he was arguably the best RP in baseball in 2023-2024

He then became a choker

Hoffman was a pretty terrible pitcher for 7 years with Colorado and Cincinnati, before his last two seasons in Philadelphia where he was a 7th and 8th Inning pitcher. Maybe he is just not Closer material, and should be a 7th/8th Inning guy next year. His numbers this year reflect what they did in Cincinnati in 2021/2022. He was truly atrocious for 5 years in Colorado before that so we can ignore those numbers.

Some guys just choke when the lights shine brightest, and their meant to be 7th/8th Inning guys. Jeff Coughman is one of those guys potentially. Another reason why this front office should have went all out to get another elite Closer like Duran at the deadline. This off-season, hopefully a new GM (if Atkins is not brought back) does what it takes to bring another Closer in the fold that will push Hoffman to a 7th/8th Inning role for 2026.

He was a starting pitcher before that so it makes very little sense to cite those seasons

Hoffman was in the Colorado bullpen in 2020 when he had an ERA over 9, and was also strictly in the bullpen in 2022 when he was in Cincinnati. He also transitioned into the bullpen in 2021 when he initially was a Starter. His numbers this year are similar to his terrible Cincinnati numbers when he worked out of the bullpen.

This organization needs to acquire another Closer in the off-season, and relegate Hoffman to 7th and 8th Inning duties where he was successful the last two years in Philadelphia. Some guys are not meant to be Closers, and Hoffman is one of those guys.

[Raps in 4]

It's possible Coughman returns to form next year. But it's also possible he doesn't. Both scenarios happen all the time with relief ptichers.

Loads of relievers have 1-2 elite seasons and then turn into scrubs. There is no way to predict what happens with him next year.

[DelAbbot]

He had like 6-7 horrific misses lmao that last slider heavy threw was painted tho.

That was one of the worst pitching performances I've ever seen in my life. Without umpire help, he walks 4 hitters in a row and I don't think he made a single effective pitch the entire outing.

Meanwhile, this FO watched that and it reiterated their commitment to Hoffman as our closer.

Hoffman not getting exposed tonight = "winning the battle, but losing the war"

[Asianiac_24]

That was one of the worst pitching performances I've ever seen in my life. Without umpire help, he walks 4 hitters in a row and I don't think he made a single effective pitch the entire outing.

Meanwhile, this FO watched that and it reiterated their commitment to Hoffman as our closer.

This is the same front office who think they are smarter than everyone else. That is why they were the only front office in MLB who was willing to absorb the entire ridiculous almost 100 million contract for Gimenez, outbid every MLB team to sign a broken down 41 year old Max Scherzer, offered a 5 year guarantee for an overrated Santander, and guaranteed 3 years to Jeff Coughman (when three teams the Phillies, Braves, and Orioles passed on signing him). They think they are smarter than everyone else, but in reality they are the dumbest.

Other front offices would have done a much better job building an elite team if they had a Top 5 payroll like the Jays. No way after tonight should Jeff Coughman be the Closer if this team is serious about winning a post-season game in almost a decade. Coughman looked scared on the mound, and did not trust any of his pitches. Thankfully for his sake, the umpire saved him with generous strike calls that were actually balls. His command and velocity is not Closer material right now. Let Fisher or Dominguez be the guys going forward.

Paying Santander and Hoffman to sign with us is one thing. Paying Scherzer hoping for a turn around season is one thing. But why absorb Giminez contract? We already know he is overpaid and not worth the contract. If we said to Cleveland, “we will absorb Giminez but you have to pay 10M of that per season”, Cleveland obliges as well. But for some reason we just absorbed it for free.

[SharoneWright]

Paying Santander and Hoffman to sign with us is one thing. Paying Scherzer hoping for a turn around season is one thing. But why absorb Giminez contract? We already know he is overpaid and not worth the contract. If we said to Cleveland, “we will absorb Giminez but you have to pay 10M of that per season”, Cleveland obliges as well. But for some reason we just absorbed it for free.

Shapiro still works for Cleveland.

[Boogie!]

Blue Jays can clinch the division tomorrow!

Read on Twitter

Yankees have to lose though. Can they please blow one game.

[Boogie!]

It's possible Coughman returns to form next year. But it's also possible he doesn't. Both scenarios happen all the time with relief ptichers.

Loads of relievers have 1-2 elite seasons and then turn into scrubs. There is no way to predict what happens with him next year.

He seems toast. His fastball sucks. He’s throwing a flat 94. Even at his best he was only touching 97? And he’s hanging sliders, doesn’t seem like it’s a wipeout pitch that’s throwing hitters off either. His stuff just seems weak.

[Boogie!]

Hoffman was a pretty terrible pitcher for 7 years with Colorado and Cincinnati, before his last two seasons in Philadelphia where he was a 7th and 8th Inning pitcher. Maybe he is just not Closer material, and should be a 7th/8th Inning guy next year. His numbers this year reflect what they did in Cincinnati in 2021/2022. He was truly atrocious for 5 years in Colorado before that so we can ignore those numbers.

Some guys just choke when the lights shine brightest, and their meant to be 7th/8th Inning guys. Jeff Coughman is one of those guys potentially. Another reason why this front office should have went all out to get another elite Closer like Duran at the deadline. This off-season, hopefully a new GM (if Atkins is not brought back) does what it takes to bring another Closer in the fold that will push Hoffman to a 7th/8th Inning role for 2026.

He was a starting pitcher before that so it makes very little sense to cite those seasons

Hoffman was in the Colorado bullpen in 2020 when he had an ERA over 9, and was also strictly in the bullpen in 2022 when he was in Cincinnati. He also transitioned into the bullpen in 2021 when he initially was a Starter. His numbers this year are similar to his terrible Cincinnati numbers when he worked out of the bullpen.

This organization needs to acquire another Closer in the off-season, and relegate Hoffman to 7th and 8th Inning duties where he was successful the last two years in Philadelphia. Some guys are not meant to be Closers, and Hoffman is one of those guys.

**** the offseason they should’ve acquired one at the deadline… the fact that they didn’t is a bad sign in terms of where their heads are at….