By The Numbers: Bullpen a growing concern for AL East-leading Blue Jays
Published
The vibes surrounding the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays have been excellent for the vast majority of the season.
With 29 games remaining, the Jays sit atop the American League East with a four-game lead over the Boston Red Sox and a 4.5-game advantage over the New York Yankees.
With vastly improved hitting, veteran starting pitching and a deep roster, the Jays have surprised many and are suddenly contenders to advance to their first World Series since 1993.
The bullpen, however, has become an issue since the All-Star break and that concern was again highlighted during Tuesday's loss to the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Leading 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning, closer Jeff Hoffman came into the game attempting to pick up his 29th save of the season. He proceeded to give up four runs on three hits and two home runs, most notably a three-run shot by Matt Wallner to make it 7-4 Twins as Minnesota would go on to win just their 60th game of the season.
The inconsistent Hoffman suffered his seventh blown save of the season and now has an ERA of 6.75 over his last seven appearances.
The home run has been a major problem for the right-hander all season. Hoffman has allowed 12 homers, tying him with Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Bryan Baker for second most among relievers in the MLB behind Jackson Rutledge of the Washington Nationals and former Jays pitcher Chad Green, who both have given up 14 longballs.
Hoffman has the most home run allowed in the eighth inning or later.
Despite owning a 4.77 ERA, Hoffman has shown signs of being an elite closer this season and still has the confidence of manager John Schneider.
"When he's available and you want to save a game, I'm going to bring him in," he said. "He's shown that he can do it."
Tuesday's starter Chris Bassitt also showed support for the struggling Hoffman, who produced ERAs under 2.45 in each of the previous two seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies.
"His numbers obviously I know aren't where they need to be, but I think (he's) the same guy that pretty much carried us for two straight months," said Bassitt. "And then yes, (he's) had a couple of bad ones. But overall, I trust him more than anyone."
Even if the Jays wanted to shakeup up their bullpen assignments, options are limited as the rest of the Blue Jays' pen is struggling in similar fashion.
Since the All-Star break, the Blue Jays have a 5.60 bullpen ERA, which is second-worst in the Majors behind the lowly Colorado Rockies (6.13). Before the All-Star break, Toronto's bullpen ERA was 3.57, eighth-best in the MLB.
Here's a closer look at notable Blue Jays' relievers since mid-July.
Blue Jays Bullpen Since All-Star Break
| Pitcher | Games (Innings Pitched) | ERA | Home Runs Allowed | Walks Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yariel Rodriguez | 16 (14) | 6.43 | 1 | 10 |
| Louis Varland | 16 (14.1) | 5.65 | 2 | 7 |
| Brendon Little | 18 (13.2) | 5.27 | 1 | 10 |
| Jeff Hoffman | 16 (15.1) | 4.11 | 3 | 8 |
| Seranthony Dominguez | 16 (13.1) | 4.05 | 0 | 9 |
| Tommy Nance | 14 (16.2) | 1.08 | 0 | 3 |
| Braydon Fisher | 14 (10.1) | 5.23 | 1 | 5 |
| Mason Fluharty | 14 (13.1) | 3.38 | 2 | 8 |
With the trade deadline come and gone, the Jays may need to get creative if they want to change things up.
Veteran right-hander Yimi Garcia, who has been out since July 5 with an elbow issue, seems like a longshot to return anytime soon as he's set to visit Dr. Keith Meister in the near future to get more information on his slow recovery.
In the minors, 22-year-old Trey Yesavage has struggled since being called up to Triple-A Buffalo earlier this month.
Currently listed as Toronto's top prospect, the right-handed starter has posted a 7.11 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched over two starts with the Bisons. If Yesavage can turn things around, would the Blue Jays consider calling up the rookie in September to see if has the potential to play in the playoffs?
Elsewhere, the Blue Jays have six strong veteran starters on their staff in Shane Bieber, Max Scherzer, Jose Berrios, Kevin Gausman, Bassitt and Eric Lauer. Teams usually need three or four starters for a playoff series, meaning at least two of their starters would be available to pitch out of the pen assuming everyone stays healthy.
Would a pitcher like Lauer or Berrios make sense in a different role?
With September baseball just around the corner, playoff races are about to heat up. With the Red Sox and Yankees staying in the mix, the Blue Jays are going to have to figure out their bullpen problems one way or another if they want to claim their first division title since 2015.