Jeff Hoffman had an opportunity to close out the 2025 World Series on a historic night at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, but the outcome slipped away in the final moments. Leading the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 with just one out remaining in the ninth inning of Game 7, the Blue Jays’ closer was three outs from a championship. However, a critical home run shifted the momentum and changed the course of baseball history.
Hoffman’s Performance Before the Turning Point
Hoffman entered the game during the eighth inning after Max Muncy’s home run brought the Dodgers within one run. With two outs, he retired Tommy Edman quickly on just four pitches to end the inning. The right-hander had been dominant throughout the postseason, maintaining a 0.79 ERA, allowing only one run on five hits over 11 1/3 innings while striking out 16 batters. His postseason performance was a continuation of his strong September, where he gave up just one run as the Jays secured the American League East title.
Starting the ninth, Hoffman struck out Enrique Hernández using four consecutive sliders. With Shohei Ohtani coming up next, Hoffman faced Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers’ ninth batter, who hit a full-count slider for a game-tying home run—marking the first-ever ninth-inning tying homer in a World Series game. This moment changed the fate of the series and left Hoffman reflecting deeply on what might have been.
Hoffman’s Reflections in the Wake of the Defeat
In the Jays’ clubhouse in Dunedin, Florida, Hoffman spoke about the bitter emotions lingering months after the loss.
“Super proud of all the work that everybody put in to get us to the point that we got to,”
he said.
“Sad that it didn’t end up the way any of us wanted it to end up.”
He went on to describe the challenges of baseball’s harsh realities.
“The game of baseball can be harsh sometimes. I feel like we had so many different moments, especially through the World Series, that should have been cemented in Blue Jays history and gone down as those pivotal moments that won us a World Series, but it just didn’t happen. And sad that I couldn’t come through on my part to finish the job.”
Despite the passage of time, Hoffman shared that his feelings have not changed.
“I had a chance to end it. I had a chance to be the one that got the last couple of outs and just came through and ended the whole thing. I feel like I’ll always feel that way … I was out there with a lead and I gave up that lead.”
Teammates’ Support Amid the Disappointment
While Hoffman has been critical of his own performance, his teammates have reassured him that the loss was not his burden alone. Outfielder Myles Straw expressed empathy and fairness, noting the collective responsibility of a team.
“It sucks to hear him say that,”
Straw said.
“I remember facing Roki Sasaki (with two on and two out in the ninth inning of Game 3) and having the chance to have the go-ahead hit. So I could say it’s all on me. But you win and you lose as a team, I’ll die on that hill … By no means he lost us that game. Never will I look back and say Jeff Hoffman lost us that.”
Blue Jays Management and Coaching Perspectives for the Upcoming Season
During the offseason, the Blue Jays’ front office expressed measured views on Hoffman’s role as closer moving forward. General Manager Ross Atkins and Manager John Schneider stopped short of naming Hoffman the undisputed closer, but the team’s pitching coach, Pete Walker, reassured fans and players of Hoffman’s role at the end of games.
“We have a lot of guys who can do different things, but certainly Hoff is going to be the hammer at the end,”
Walker said.
As spring training kicks off in Florida, Hoffman, who signed a three-year, $33-million contract through 2027, is embracing the chance to prove himself once again.
“Every inning that I pitch, with what my job is, is a high-pressure, high-stakes moment,”
he stated.
“But when you’re talking about the post-season, it’s even more so. For me to be who I want to be as a player and as a closer, I have to be able to come through in those moments. That’s something that everybody’s counting on, and that’s something that lives in the front of my mind. I want to be the best when it comes to those spots.”
Historical Context: Learning From Past Blue Jays Closers
Jeff Hoffman is not the first Blue Jays closer to face scrutiny after giving up crucial home runs at decisive moments. Tom Henke, regarded as the greatest closer in franchise history, also experienced game-changing homers during key instances in his career. Henke allowed a game-tying ninth-inning homer to Yankees’ Butch Wynegar in 1985 when the Jays were close to clinching the AL East for the first time. He also gave up pivotal home runs in the American League Championship Series and during other critical points, yet remained a revered figure.
This history suggests Hoffman’s story is still being written. If the Blue Jays continue to compete at the highest level, Hoffman will have further opportunities to be the hero, with potentially two more outs when everything is on the line.
Miguel Rojas homers to tie it for the Dodgers in Game 7 of the #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/CWiZ0p5EB1
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 2, 2025
