RADIO
Blue Jays View Ricky Tiedemann as a Reliever
Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Tiedemann, once one of the most promising starting-pitching prospects in all of baseball, is slated for the bullpen going forward, with the Blue Jays "thinking of him as a reliever," general manager Ross Atkins said, per Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. "I would love for him to somehow do something to change that. But most likely thinking about him as a reliever, could grow into some bulkier outings," Atkins said. The 24-year-old southpaw appeared in five games for Toronto out of the bullpen in 2026 after missing the majority of the previous two seasons after having Tommy John surgery on his left elbow. The former third-rounder's upside was through the roof, but his inability to stay healthy has persuaded the Jays to limit his exposure in a relief role. In his five outings for the Blue Jays this year, he gave up one run while striking out eight and walking six in six innings. His 39.1% strikeout rate in the minors makes him intriguing, but his injury history and limited experience since being drafted in 2021 make him a wild card for fantasy purposes.
Source: Sportsnet - Shi Davidi
Source: Sportsnet - Shi Davidi
Louis Varland Continues to Provide High-End Closer Production
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland has emerged as one of the best closers in baseball in 2026, pitching to a 1.24 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP with 89 strikeouts and 33 saves across 72 1/3 innings (66 games). Varland is averaging 98.9 miles per hour on his fastball and has struck out 31.3% of the batters he's faced this season. The 28-year-old has allowed only two home runs for the entire year and has also blown only one save chance. Varland has been slightly less dominant of late, pitching to a 2.20 ERA and recording fewer than a strikeout per inning since the start of August. Still, the hard-throwing righty looks like an excellent late-inning reliever and remains an elite closer option for fantasy managers heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Blue Jays Recall Pitching Prospect Ricky Tiedemann for MLB Debut
The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Saturday that they are recalling left-handed pitching prospect Ricky Tiedemann from Triple-A Buffalo and optioning right-hander Chase Lee to Buffalo in a corresponding move. Tiedemann, once the organization's top pitching prospect, will be making his major-league debut whenever he gets into a game. The 23-year-old former third-rounder in 2021 from Golden West College didn't pitch at all in 2025 after having Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2024, and he appeared in only seven games (two starts) in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Single-A Dunedin and Buffalo this year, allowing five earned runs with two walks and 11 strikeouts in just seven innings pitched. Now the team's No. 11 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, Tiedemann has had countless setbacks with his elbow and has also dealt with a neck injury. Expect Toronto to be very careful with his usage the rest of the year, and they could decide to turn him into a full-time reliever to try to keep him healthy going forward. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues should ignore Tiedemann for now.
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Source: Toronto Blue Jays
Twins Add Jeff Hoffman to Bullpen Mix at Trade Deadline
The Minnesota Twins have acquired right-handed reliever Jeff Hoffman from the Toronto Blue Jays, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. In exchange for Hoffman, Minnesota sent out a trio of prospects in pitchers Dasan Hill and John Klein, as well as infielder Dameury Pena. Hoffman opened 2026 as the closer in Toronto, but early-season struggles led to him being removed from the role. However, the 33-year-old has turned it on over the last two months, allowing just three earned runs while recording 30 strikeouts across 22 1/3 innings since the start of June. For the season overall, Hoffman has posted a stellar 34.9% strikeout rate to go along with six wins, 12 holds, and five saves. In Minnesota, Hoffman could have a chance to re-emerge as a primary ninth-inning option. Particularly in deeper leagues, he profiles as a worthy waiver-wire target for fantasy managers in need of saves.
Source: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
Source: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
Louis Varland Could Keep Strong Run Going in Second Half
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Louis Varland has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy baseball as a closer through the first half of the season, going 3-3 with a 1.10 ERA (1.43 FIP), 0.98 WHIP, his first 19 career saves, 67 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 49 innings pitched to become a first-time All-Star. The 28-year-old has yet to blow a save so far in 2026, which could lead many to believe that he's due for plenty of regression in the second half in his first full season with the Blue Jays. However, with the third-best xwOBA (.223) among all pitchers in baseball, Varland's underlying metrics back up his strong first-half showing. The former 15th-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 out of Concordia University has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits (one homer) in 18 innings since the start of June, but he's also struck out 25, walked four, and recorded 11 saves during that span. Varland's expected ERA of 2.04 predicts some regression coming, but not enough to consider him a true sell-high candidate as a closer in fantasy. His hard-hit rate sits in the 64th percentile, and his barrel rate is in the 98th percentile. When you combine that with a strikeout rate in the 99th percentile, you have an elite closer.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Is Jeff Hoffman a Sneaky Stash Based on Underlying Metrics?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman had a brutal start to the year and lost his job as the team's closer, with the emergence of Louis Varland as an elite bullpen option. He has put together a few strong weeks, though, and could return to fantasy relevance at some point after the All-Star break. He is 5-6 with a 4.57 ERA in his 44 games, but his 2.64 FIP and 3.07 xERA indicate he has pitched much better than his ERA indicates. He has a sky-high .402 BABIP against him (league average is .289 this season), so there could be some positive regression for him in the second half if ht gets some better batted-ball luck. Hoffman did give up two earned runs in his last outing before the break, snapping a 13-game span without an earned run against him. Varland will likely keep the closer job as long as he's healthy, but Hoffman could be a very valuable setup option or end up in a closer spot as bullpens get shuffled at the Trade Deadline. In deep leagues, he makes sense to stash and see, while in standard-sized leagues, he's definitely a reliever to keep a close eye on.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Louis Varland Sharp in Four-Out Save, Continues to Hold High-End Value
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland continues to dominate in 2026, as he recorded his 11th save of the season on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles by working 1 1/3 innings and allowing one hit and two strikeouts in only 17 pitches. Varland has converted on all of his save opportunities on the season (11-for-11) and now owns an impressive 0.95 WHIP with a 0.26 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings pitched. While Jeff Hoffman continues to struggle, it has become clear to the Blue Jays and the fantasy community that Varland is the preferred choice for save opportunities and has worked his way into being one of the more dominant closers in all of MLB. He has become a must-start player in all formats that reward saves as a category in your leagues.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Jeff Hoffman Allows Five Runs in Fourth Loss, Time to Cut in All Leagues?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman was roughed up during Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles, letting his fantasy value continue to slip away. Hoffman had an ugly outing Saturday, allowing five runs on three hits and two walks while recording just one out. He had entered with no outs in the ninth inning while leading by four runs, and he exited with the Jays down by one. As a result, Hoffman was charged with the loss, dropping him to 4-4 with a 6.31 ERA, five saves, and three blown saves this year. His 15.78 K/9 and 3.51 BB/9 are solid rates, but his inability to handle leverage spots (as well as his .858 OPS) makes him droppable in most fantasy baseball leagues. As long as Hoffman continues to be unreliable, managers should pivot to other leverage relievers who have higher fantasy floors and ceilings.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hayden Juenger Promoted to the Majors
The Toronto Blue Jays have called up 25-year-old pitcher Hayden Juenger to the major leagues. He has pitched well this season, posting a 3.50 ERA over 20.0 innings with Triple-A Buffalo. He has yet to throw more than two innings in a single appearance, making him another option for the Blue Jays' already solid bullpen. Juenger has recorded three saves for the Bisons, but given that the Blue Jays already have two capable closers, he is likely joining the big-league club as additional bullpen depth. If he performs well right away, he could earn some high-leverage opportunities later in the season. In the corresponding move, Austin Voth was designated for assignment.
Source: Arden Zwelling
Source: Arden Zwelling
Jeff Hoffman Re-Emerging as Saves Source in Toronto's Bullpen?
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman has racked up two saves while adding two wins over his last four relief appearances. He owns a 0.69 WHIP with nine strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings during that span. Braydon Fisher picked up the save in Friday's 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles as Hoffman was unavailable after pitching in back-to-back games. With Hoffman getting the day off, he will likely return to closer duties if a save chance arises in the near future. Since the calendar has flipped to May, Hoffman has recorded a 2.84 ERA with a 12.1 K:9 over 12 2/3 frames. Overall, the 33-year-old owns a (4-3) record, with a 4.62 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts across 25 1/3 innings. Hoffman has been elite recently and should be added in all leagues (65% rostered in Yahoo) for fantasy managers searching for saves.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Blue Jays Turn to Jeff Hoffman for Another Save, Re-Entering Must-Roster Territory?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman handled a save situation for the second consecutive game on Saturday. He struck out all three batters he faced, requiring just 13 pitches (nine strikes). Hoffman had a shaky start to the season, but he has bounced back with 3.2 scoreless innings across his last four contests. During that span, he has allowed one hit, zero walks, and six strikeouts. Although Hoffman has a 5.32 ERA so far, his 2.18 xFIP suggests that he has been incredibly unlucky, and better results should await him in the near future. He's been hit hard for 1.23 HR/9, but he has flashed elite control with 15.14 K/9 and 3.27 BB/9. Now that he has saves in back-to-back appearances, bringing his season total to four, Hoffman has returned to the fantasy radar as a high-strikeout reliever with consistent save upside. There's plenty of waiver wire appeal here, as the veteran reliever is available in 48% of leagues at this point.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Louis Varland Earns Seventh Save, Remains a Must-Start Reliever
Toronto Blue Jays reliever Louis Varland notched his seventh save of the season after striking out three over two scoreless innings in Friday's 6-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. With runners on first and second base, Varland entered the game in the eighth inning and was able to escape the jam. He retired all six batters he faced en route to his seventh save. The 28-year-old has been excellent this season, posting a 0.65 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 40:9 K:BB, and is 7-for-7 in save opportunities. The 28-year-old is the primary closer for the Blue Jays and is emerging as a must-start reliever in all leagues. Varland is currently rostered in 69% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues, but expect that number to rise as he continues to be one of the more reliable relievers in fantasy baseball so far.
Source: MLB
Source: MLB
Louis Varland a Must-Roster Closer in Toronto?
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Louis Varland allowed a run in his most recent appearance on Wednesday against the New York Yankees for the first time since April 25 against the Cleveland Guardians, but he still held on for his sixth save of the season and struck out two hitters in an inning of work. The 28-year-old has been reliable for manager John Schneider in the closer's role since taking over for Jeff Hoffman, going 2-1 with a 0.70 ERA (1.27 FIP), 1.17 WHIP, his first six career saves, 37 strikeouts, and nine walks in 25 2/3 relief innings for the Blue Jays. Although Varland gave up a run to the Yankees this week, he has given up just two earned runs in his 25 2/3 frames all year and should be attracting more interest off the waiver wire in fantasy leagues from managers who need more saves. Right now, Varland is available in 31% of Yahoo leagues and is firmly entrenched as Toronto's ninth-inning arm.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Jeff Hoffman Earns Fourth Save, Worth Picking up?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman was tasked with shutting down the New York Yankees on Thursday. The right-hander was handed the ball with a two-run lead in the ninth inning. Hoffman has been working in a setup role since being pulled from the closer gig earlier in the season. The Jays gave him a chance to prove himself on Thursday, and Hoffman delivered. Hoffman tossed a scoreless inning, while striking out two batters to earn his fourth save of the season. The right-hander could slowly be earning his way back into the closer role going forward. He could be worth an add in deep leagues as he gains more trust in the Jays pen.
Source: mlb
Source: mlb
Louis Varland Stumbles En Route To Sixth Save, Remains Top Option for Blue Jays?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Louis Varland wasn't perfect on Wednesday night in New York, but he did enough to get the job done and secure his team the victory. He entered the ninth inning with a 2-0 lead after a brilliant performance from Trey Yesavage. After striking out Aaron Judge, he allowed a double, a single, and a groundout to plate one run and place the potential tying run in scoring position. He was able to strike out Amed Rosario, though, to end the game and secure the win. Varland still has an impressive 0.70 ERA and 1.28 FIP with 37 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings this season. He still seems locked in as the Blue Jays closer moving forward, as long as Wednesday's issues don't develop into a bigger problem. He should be owned in almost all formats and makes a great closer addition if available.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
