Jeff Hoffman’s new comments will have every Blue Jays fan ready to run through a wall

The Toronto Blue Jays could benefit from players who possess a chip on their shoulders after the team seemed far too passive last year. While the regular season is still a couple weeks away, it's clear there are signs that this year's Blue Jays is bringing a completely different vibe to the field.

It's clear that Bo Bichette will be hellbent on showing that his 2024 season was a fluke and that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is out to demonstrate that he is should be paid like one of the top stars in baseball.

But what about the rest of the roster?

if this week is any indication, it's clear the third example of a player looking to prove doubters wrong will come from one of the new faces on the roster.

New Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman has received plenty of positive reviews for his on-field performance, but we're also learning the former 2014 first-round pick by Toronto has that much-needed chip on his shoulder.

Hoffman appeared on the Foul Territory podcast earlier this week and was asked if he is was looking forward to facing the division rival Baltimore Orioles. Hoffman demurred and seemed like he had a few choice words before simply exclaiming, "Yeah."

"I like this kind of stuff, the smoke, if you will, so yeah I'm looking forward to it," Hoffman declared in the most diplomatic way possible.

Hoffman was destined to sign a three-year, $40 million deal with the Orioles this season before concerns in Hoffman's medicals caused the deal to fall apart. Hoffman understandably disagrees with the assessment, so it makes sense that he some unfinished business against the Orioles.

He has a 7.11 ERA in three appearances and 6 1/3 innings pitched against the O's in his career which should provide even more motivation.

The good news for Hoffman is that he'll get a chance to put his money where his mouth is when the Blue Jays open the season against the Orioles — one of 17 matchups between the two teams in 2025.

One of the keys to the Blue Jays' season will be stacking wins early in the schedule. Ironically enough, the Jays will host the Atlanta Braves at the Rogers Centre in an interleague series during the middle of April, which should also provide some extra motivation to Hoffman.

The Braves were another team that failed Hoffman's physical, so it seems reasonable to conclude that Hoffman has similar feelings for Georgia's baseball team.

As mentioned, Hoffman was originally drafted by the Blue Jays before being included in the Troy Tulowitzki trade with the Colorado Rockies at the 2015 trade deadline. Hoffman posted poor numbers at Coors Field before finding a little more success at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati with a 4.28 ERA over 66 appearances in 2021 and '22.

Hoffman really turned his career around when he joined the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023 and the Blue Jays are hoping he keeps that going in Toronto. Relief pitchers are notoriously fickle creatures, but Hoffman posted a career high 33.6 precent strikeout rate and a 2.17 ERA in 66 1/3 innings for the Phillies in 2024.

The Blue Jays obviously felt confident about Hoffman's medicals or they wouldn't have given this kind of contract to a relief pitcher. Toronto infamously signed reliever Kirby Yates before the 2021 season but he never threw a pitch for the Blue Jays due to injuries. Each team has a different method to player evaluation and the Orioles are known to heavily scrutinize a pitcher's medical report.

Only time will tell if the Orioles' cautious approach was prudent.

Hoffman's desire to burn the Orioles will be another fascinating storyline to watch with the reliever along with her and former Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano essentially switching teams.

In any event, Blue Jays fans should be over the moon about Hoffman right now.