One of the brightest spots for the 20-20 Toronto Blue Jays has been their free-agent acquisition of relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
Previously a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, Hoffman went north of the border on a three-year, $33 million deal and has conquered the starting closer role. Through 18 games and 19 innings, Hoffman is 3-1 with a 3.79 ERA, a 2.48 FIP, a sub-1.000 WHIP, and most importantly, nine saves.
Hoffman has bolstered this Blue Jays bullpen, and while they are still 15th in the Majors with a combined ERA of 3.87, he has been a steady presence and reliable arm.
Considering his early success and proven track record, contenders around the league would be wise to call Toronto this trade deadline and ask about their new closer.
A Possible Trade Partner
One potential option, according to Zachary Howell of Clutch Points, is the Detroit Tigers:
“Will Vest and Tommy Kahnle are doing well out of [manager A.J.] Hinch’s bullpen, but the team lacks an elite closer. Jeff Hoffman has eight saves on the season as of May 10, putting him in the top 10 in the league. The fact that he is doing so on a team that is below .500 is a testament to his effectiveness at the end of games. His 3-1 record isn’t too bad, either.
The Tigers’ bullpen has great numbers at this point in the year. However, as the stakes get higher and games get more intense, having a reliable closer to turn to gives them more confidence in the ninth inning. Detroit’s starting pitching and offense are good enough that their closers will receive plenty of opportunities to seal wins.
Hoffman’s availability will depend on where the Blue Jays are in the standings at the deadline. The American League East is tight; less than 10 games separate the leader from the fifth-place team in the division. If Toronto falters, the team could decide to sell their veterans to contenders, starting with Hoffman.”
Blue Jays fans would be rightfully outraged at the front office if they sacrificed Hoffman this early into their relationship, which, hopefully, can span the duration of his contract.
Blue Jays Could Invest in Future
But, as ludicrous as a Hoffman trade may sound, it is not without some validity. The Tigers boasted a top-ranked farm system in spring training and have top-100 headliners such as RHP Jackson Jobe, OF Max Clark, SS/2B Kevin McGongile, SS Bryce Rainer, C/1B Thayron Liranzo, and 1B/C Josue Briceño.
Toronto could probably get a package of mid-tier prospects as the American League-leading Detroit is well-positioned to make a deep run this October and could sacrifice future talents for present support.
It remains to be seen how the Blue Jays perform this summer, but their .500 play so far could be an indicator that this is another summer lost in the shuffle. Preserving Hoffman is crucial to their high-leverage success, but with his sky-high trade value, the time could be now to move on from the righty.
Toronto has its cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locked up through the 2039 season, and while there is pressure to surround him with a championship-caliber roster, there is no rush to win now.
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