June was supposed to be the month the Blue Jays clawed back into the American League race. Instead, it turned into a grind that left them further behind, with the standings tightening and the margin for error shrinking.
Toronto finished the month 11-15 and was outscored 129-101, a rough return for a stretch that included plenty of opponents the club should have handled if it was truly ready to rejoin the chase. There were a few signs of life along the way - a three-game winning streak, plus two separate runs of back-to-back wins - but none of it stuck. Every time the Blue Jays started to build something, they let it slip away.
The finish was especially damaging. Toronto dropped seven of its final eight games, including a six-game losing streak that featured two losses to the Houston Astros and four straight to the Texas Rangers.
Those results didn’t just drag down the record. They also let Houston and Texas move past Toronto in the standings and push the Blue Jays deeper into the Wild Card scramble.
What makes that stretch sting even more is that the bullpen’s late-inning trio looked like one of the few real bright spots. Tyler Rogers, Jeff Hoffman and 2026 All-Star Louis Varland were sharp for most of the month, even as the team around them kept stumbling.
Varland logged 15 innings in June and finished with a 2.40 ERA and 1.85 FIP. He struck out 22 of the 57 batters he faced, allowed four earned runs, walked four and gave up eight hits.
17 Save Opportunities for Louis Varland.
17 Saves for Louis Varland. pic.twitter.com/KVj921yXfD
- Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 30, 2026
Hoffman was just as effective in his own way. He pitched 12 innings across 12 games, struck out 15 and posted a 0.75 ERA, allowing one earned run, two total runs and five hits. Rogers worked 13 games and 13 innings, gave up only one earned run and finished the month with a 0.69 ERA, though he did allow 15 hits and issue four walks.
Still, the month’s most painful moments came when those same relievers were on the mound in key spots and things went sideways. The damage was limited to three outings, but those three innings loomed large in a month that already felt like it was slipping away.
On Jun. 23, Rogers came in for the ninth with Toronto ahead 6-4.
Varland had worked the previous two games and collected saves against the Cubs and Astros, so Rogers was in line for the finish. The Blue Jays were 39-39 after rallying from a 4-0 deficit, and they were three outs from getting back over .500 for the first time since they were 4-3 on Apr.
- Instead, Rogers gave up hard contact, Toronto’s defense made two errors, and the Astros tied it before winning in 11 innings.
The next night, Hoffman took over in the top of the eighth of a 1-1 game. He struck out the first hitter he faced, then gave up a triple to former Blue Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido. Hoffman then tried to pick off Loperfido at third, but miscommunication with third baseman Kazuma Okamoto sent the ball into left field and allowed Loperfido to score the go-ahead run in a 3-1 loss.
Four days later, Toronto was still looking for a win and trying to avoid a sweep against Texas. Nathan Lukes tied the game with a home run in the bottom of the eighth, and Varland came on to try to keep it level at 2-2 so the Blue Jays could have a shot in the ninth. Instead, a wild pitch let pinch runner Jared Kelenic score from second, and the Rangers finished the sweep with a 3-2 win.
It’s not fair to hang those losses solely on Rogers, Hoffman and Varland. But it does fit the shape of Toronto’s month: the bullpen’s best arms were also tied to three of the most gutting defeats.
Zoom out, and the picture is clearer. Rogers and Varland have given Toronto plenty to like, not just in June but across the season. Hoffman has had his ups and downs, but June was a strong month for the veteran reliever.
The bigger problem sat elsewhere. Toronto’s offense was stuck in a month-long slump, hitting just .239/.292/.382 with a -18.1 offensive fWAR. The starting rotation also struggled, posting a 5.61 ERA while allowing 28 home runs and walking 72 batters.
If the Blue Jays are going to make any kind of push in 2026, those two areas have to improve in July.
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Toronto is expected to send him to Triple-A Buffalo, where he can settle in and give the front office another name to monitor over the final stretch. With injuries thinning the outfield picture, Cameron could put himself in position for a late-season look if he keeps producing, which makes this one of those quiet transactions that can matter more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]
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Blue Jays Suddenly Face A Jeff Hoffman Deadline Dilemma
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If Toronto does end up exploring that path, the interest figure to be there. The Phillies, Astros, White Sox, Cubs and Nationals all make some sense for different reasons, whether it is bullpen help, payroll flexibility or tax concerns, and Philadelphia carries an obvious reunion angle after Hoffmans All-Star run there in 2024. The real complication is the price tag, since Hoffman is owed $12.67 million next season, which could narrow the field quickly even before the Blue Jays decide how aggressive they want to be. [Read more 🡒]