Ninth inning could be Blue Jays' Achilles heel

The Toronto Blue Jays are theoretically in the driver's seat entering September.

The Blue Jays have the second-best record (79-58) in the American League, sitting half a game behind the Tigers entering Monday. Likewise, the Blue Jays have a three-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East and control their playoff destiny.

However, there is one potentially fatal flaw for the Blue Jays. Closer Jeff Hoffman has been erratic at best this season, posting a 5.02 ERA and a 1.203 WHIP over his 57.1 innings entering Monday. On the positive side, Hoffman has notched 29 saves while striking out 76 batters with 20 walks.

This is not what the Blue Jays had hoped for when they signed Hoffman to a three-year, $33 million contract during the 2024-25 offseason. He had emerged as one of the better relievers in baseball over the previous two years, producing a 2.28 ERA and a 0.944 WHIP in 118.2 innings, striking out 158 batters with 35 walks. Hoffman notched 10 saves in 2024, giving the Blue Jays hope that they had found their lockdown closer.

He looked the part through his first 14 appearances. Hoffman posted a 1.10 ERA and a .673 WHIP over his 16.1 innings, striking out 23 batters with two walks. He has struggled since, with a 6.59 ERA and a 1.439 WHIP over his last 41 innings. Hoffman has six appearances where he allowed three or more runs while recording three or fewer outs, excluding his August 10 appearance, in which he issued five walks in just 0.2 innings.

Hoffman was expected to hold down the fort in the ninth inning as the Blue Jays look toward the postseason. Instead, his inconsistent performance could be a problem in October.