The Blue Jays kept moving pieces on deadline day, and the latest one out the door was Jeff Hoffman.
Toronto sent the reliever to the Minnesota Twins in a deal that brought back a package of three prospects: minor league pitchers Dasan Hill and John Klein, plus infielder Dameury Pena.
Hoffman came into the season as the Jays’ closer after signing a three-year, $33 million US contract in January 2025. The idea was simple enough: bring him in to replace Jordan Romano at the back of the bullpen.
In practice, it never settled cleanly. His tendency to allow home runs in late-game spots made the role a shaky fit, and that opened the door for Louis Varland to take over.
This move also closes another chapter in a long Toronto connection for Hoffman. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2014 before being shipped to the Colorado Rockies in the trade that brought Troy Tulowitzki to Toronto. He later pitched as a reliever with the Phillies before returning to the Jays.
His time back in Toronto was a rocky one with the fan base, marked by inconsistency in the closer’s role. The low point came in the World Series, when he gave up the game-tying homer to the Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7, a game the Blue Jays would eventually lose in extras.
Just before the trade became official, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson reported that Hoffman was hugging teammates in the visitor’s clubhouse at Daikin Park in Houston, where the Blue Jays were preparing to open a three-game series Monday night.
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Twins Paid A Price For Bullpen Help Fans Need To See
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The price was real, though, and it went beyond a simple cash consideration. Minnesota parted with Dasan Hill, John Klein, Dameury Pena and international cap space to get the deal done, a reminder that bullpen fixes often come with long-term costs attached. Hoffman is expected to be part of the picture through 2028, but the Twins gave up multiple pieces in a move that says plenty about how aggressive they plan to be in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
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