The Toronto Blue Jays are less than a week removed from losing Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. They watched the Dodgers parade from home, and are in full offseason mode, having already extended a qualifying offer to postseason hero and likely free agent Bo Bichette. But, given the Blue Jays were the losers of arguably the most intriguing World Series in recent memory, Game 7 remains fresh in the minds of the sports media conglomerate.
Had Game 7 not gone extra innings, with the likes of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Miguel Rojas, Will Smith and more playing the role of zero and heroes, Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman would've received far more attention for blowing Toronto's best chance at victory. That came in the top of the ninth inning. Hoffman faced the bottom of the Dodgers order, yet still gave up a game-tying home run to Miguel Rojas.
MIGUEL ROJAS TIE GAME! #WORLDSERIES pic.twitter.com/1hDBIhVLS8
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 2, 2025
Dodgers devil magic aside, this is precisely the reason the Blue Jays signed Hoffman the previous winter. There's no way Toronto could've known they'd have a chance to win the Fall Classic back then, but the three-year, $33 million deal they signed Hoffman to looked like a steal at the time. This season, Hoffman had a 4.37 ERA in the regular season, but shut down the majority of his opponents in the postseason. Unfortunately, his World Series ended in poor fashion, but he can't say the Dodgers didn't warn him.
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Blue Jays-Dodgers conflict gave Jeff Hoffman plenty of warning
In the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 7, Blue Jays No. 9 hitter Andres Gimenez stepped up to the plate against Dodgers relief pitcher Justin Wrobleski. Gimenez was hit by a pitch and took offense, seemingly assuming the Dodgers plunked him on purpose.
Justin Wrobleski nearly hits Andres Gimenez on one pitch then actually hits him on the next pitch and benches empty in Game 7 pic.twitter.com/3eqGKvPquW
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 2, 2025
Getting hit by a pitch is never fun, but Gimenez was wrong to assume the Dodgers put him on base on purpose. What would that solve, especially in a winner-take-all Game 7? The answer to that question is self-explanatory: nothing.
The two teams jawed back and forth, but were prompted by Gimenez to do so. Per David Vassegh on the Dodgers Talk podcast, Los Angeles warned Hoffman in particular he'd come to regret his words. Multiple Dodgers veterans told Hoffman that if he were inserted into the game – which was bound to happen in such a critical game – they'd get the past of him. As it turns out, they were correct.
How much blame does Jeff Hoffman deserve for blowing Game 7?
Hoffman will get a chance to redeem himself next season, as he's under contract through 2027 with the Blue Jays. The same cannot be said for, say, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, whose lead (or lack thereof) has received far more criticism than it deserves. Hoffman stepped on the mound with a chance to close out the World Series, and failed against the last hitter anyone expected. Had Hoffman given up a home run to, say, Freddie Freeman or Shohei Ohtani, we might understand. Miguel Rojas on the other hand? Not so much.
A kerfuffle just a few innings prior wasn't the sole reason why Hoffman gave up said game-tying home run. Heck, it likely wasn't even of Rojas's mind when he stepped up to the plate. Yet, in a Game 7, any mental edge the Dodgers had at their disposal was a valuable one, especially when facing a deficit in the deciding inning.
In that sense, Hoffman's words came back to haunt him.