Toronto Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman issued a blunt statement ahead of the MLB trade deadline, saying he doesn’t want to go anywhere.
Hoffman, who lost his job as the Blue Jays’ closer earlier this season to lights-out Louis Varland, has been operating in a set-up role the last few months and has been looking much better as of late, increasing his trade value as a result.
With Hoffman still having one more season on his three-year, $33 million contract, any team that trades for him would be acquiring a pitcher with control.
With that being said, Hoffman is hoping to stay in Toronto, as he believes the team can still turn things around and make a playoff run this season.
Jeff Hoffman Doesn’t Want to Be Traded
Speaking to Sportsnet ahead of the MLB trade deadline, Hoffman made it clear that he doesn’t want to be traded by the August 3 deadline, as he wants to help the Blue Jays turn things around and get into a playoff spot.
“I want to be here and win with this group here,” Hoffman said.
“I don’t think any of us in this room have given up on this year. We’ve obviously dealt with adversity through the year that’s made it hard for us to get going and stay hot. It seems like every time we win one, we have a stinker right after, that makes it tough to get on a roll and to really start feeling good about yourself. But the rest of the league is in a lull as well.
“So I think a lot of us are just staying the course and trusting what we have here and thinking that eventually we’re going to get something going. There’s no reason why we can’t do something like Boston just got done doing and win a bunch of games in a row and then all of a sudden you’re right back in the thick of it.”
Blue Jays Still Fighting For Playoffs
The Blue Jays are currently 51-59 but are just 4.5 GB of the third and final Wild Card spot in the American League.
As Hoffman mentioned, the AL as a whole has been weaker than normal this year, so whatever team wins the third Wild Card spot is likely going to be around a .500 team.
That being said, as long as the team makes it into the six-team AL postseason bracket, then anything can happen.
The Blue Jays were the best team in the AL last year, but this season hasn’t gone as anyone has expected, due to injuries and poor performances all around.
Yet, despite that being the case, the team is still theoretically in striking distance of a playoff spot despite a down year overall.
With the MLB trade deadline just two days away now, we will see what the Blue Jays front office decides to do. But if it were up to Hoffman, the front office would keep the band together and try to make the playoffs.
Jeff Hoffman Issues Blunt Statement on Trade Deadline Rumors