Pirates in baseball: Jeff Hoffman, Blue Jays top Phillies, former closer

by | Jun 5, 2025

Jeff Hoffman got the first taste of victory against his former team on Wednesday.

The former Philadelphia Phillies reliever got the 2-1 win for the Toronto Blue Jays. Alejandro Kirk hit a single to center that scored Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the winning run.

Hoffman came on in the ninth inning to get the last out. He gave up a single before forcing a groundout to end the inning. He became the pitcher of record, improving to 5-2 and lowering his ERA to 5.74.

Jordan Romero, the former Blue Jays closer, gave up the winning run to fall to 0-2. He signed with the Phillies in the offseason after Hoffman was released by the Jays and subsequently went to Toronto.

Before the game, Hoffman was seen with former Phillies teammate Matt Strahm, catching up. Hoffman said in an interview that he held no ill will toward the Phillies.

“I try to keep up with everybody,” Hoffman said. “Obviously, we’ve got our own stuff going on here, so I’ve got to kind of have my priorities, but I feel like every night I’m pretty much checking box scores and seeing who got in there, who didn’t, and how everybody’s doing.”

Carter Spivey

He got the start but not the decision in a 4-2 loss by Akron to Chesapeake in 10 innings.

He went six innings, giving up a run on four hits with five strikeouts and a walk. He left with a 2-1 lead but Chesapeake tied it in the ninth and won it with two runs in the 10th.

Spivey lowered his ERA to 4.61. In his three starts this season, he’s 1-1 in 13.2 innings with eight earned runs on 13 hits with seven walks and 10 strikeouts.

See below to find out what the rest of the Pirates in baseball did on Wednesday.

Major League Baseball

  • Connor Norby, Miami Marlins: 1-for-4 with a run scored in 3-2 loss to Rockies.
  • Alec Burleson, St. Louis Cardinals: Rained out vs. Royals. Will play doubleheader on Thursday.
  • Shawn Armstrong, Texas Rangers: Pitched the eighth inning in a 5-4 loss to the Rays, striking out two to lower his ERA to 3.65.
  • Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians: Did not pitch in 4-0 win over Yankees
  • Jeff Hoffman, Toronto Blue Jays: See above
  • Zach Agnos, Colorado Rockies: Did not pitch in 3-2 win over Marlins
  • Clayton McCullough, Miami Marlins (manager): Team swept by Rockies after 3-2 loss. Marlins now 23-37 on season

Triple-A

  • Carson Whisenhunt, Sacramento RiverCats (Giants): Did not pitch in 4-2 loss to Sugarland. Scheduled to start Thursday

Double-A

  • Carter Spivey, Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians): See above
  • Trey Benton, Akron Rubber Ducks (Guardians): On season-ending disabled list

Single-A

  • Trey Yesavage, Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays): Did not pitch in 7-5 loss to Tri-City.
  • Carter Cunningham, Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays): 0-for-3 with a walk in 7-5 loss to Tri-City
  • Josh Moylan, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees): 0-for-2 with three walks and a run in an 8-1 win over Aberdeen
  • Josh Grosz, Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees): Did not pitch in 8-1 win over Aberdeen. Scheduled to start Thursday.
  • Tyler Bradt, Peoria Chiefs (Cardinals): Rained out vs. Quad Cities. Will play doubleheader on Thursday
  • Jacob-Jenkins-Cowart, Beloit Sky Carp (Marlins): 0-for-4 in 5-3 loss to Fort Worth
  • Ryan McCrystal, Daytona Tortugas (Reds): Did not play in 6-5 win over Lakeland
  • Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman, Modesto Nuts (Mariners): Placed on full-season disabled list on April 15.
  • Erik Ritchie, Florida Coast League Phillies (Phillies): No game on Wednesday. Will play again Thursday.
  • Landon Ginn, Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs): Did not pitch in 3-2 loss to Kannapolis

Frontier League

  • Danny Beal, Down East Bird Dawgs (Independent): Did not pitch in 13-6 loss to Ottawa.

Photo credit: Jeff Hoffman (Toronto Blue Jays photo)

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