Hoffman broke out as a full-time reliever over the last two seasons with Philadelphia, posting a remarkable 2.28 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 158:35 K:BB over 118.2 regular-season innings. These results are a stark contrast from his time as a starting pitcher, for which Hoffman has plenty of past experience, but owns a career 5.64 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 237.2 innings. Despite this glaring differential in Hoffman's splits, the 2025 free agent was pursued by some teams as a starter before ultimately landing a three-year deal with Toronto, where he's expected to be in the mix at closer. A change in Hoffman's role may force him to adjust his pitch mix, which has featured a devastating slider as his primary offering over the past two seasons. His fastball velocity could also be impacted, as Hoffman previously sat in the 93-to-94 mph range as a starter compared to the 96-to-97 mph range in recent seasons. Hoffman will likely be the early favorite for saves but may not work as a traditional closer, with a committee with Yimi Garcia being possible. Read Past Outlooks