Jeff Hoffman News: Closer job not guaranteed in 2026

General manager Ross Atkins said Thursday that the Blue Jays aren't committed to using Hoffman as their primary closer in 2026, Rob Longley of The Toronto Sun reports.

Although he finished 2025 with a career-high 33 saves, Hoffman's first year in Toronto was met with struggles. He posted a 4.37 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 68 innings during the regular season and, most notably, blew a save during Game 7 of the World Series. Atkins brought up Yimi Garcia (elbow) and Louis Varland as potential options to work the ninth inning next season instead of Hoffman and didn't rule out the possibility of acquiring someone in the offseason to fill the role.