The Minnesota Twins ended Jeff Hoffman's season 1 day early.
The Minnesota Twins placed Jeff Hoffman on the 15-day injured list this past Saturday with right forearm inflammation, ending his regular season one day early.
Minnesota has already been eliminated from postseason contention, making the decision to stop pitching and begin his offseason program a practical one rather than a reaction to a severe injury.
Hoffman spoke with reporters and downplayed the IL stint.
According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Hoffman explained that his arm had not been recovering between outings as quickly as he wanted. With no playoff race left to influence the decision, he and the club chose not to risk turning a manageable issue into something more serious.
He added that he does not believe there is an issue with the elbow joint or ligaments and expects a normal offseason.
The 33-year-old journeyman finished 2026 with a 3.55 ERA, 1.318 WHIP and 102 strikeouts across just 66 innings between the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota. Hoffman was shipped off to Minnesota at the trade deadline with the Blue Jays looking to retool.
With the Twins this year, Hoffman posted a 2.50 ERA and struck out 27 batters in 18 innings. He also recorded one save after arriving in Minnesota.
It is worth noting this is not the first time Hoffman has dealt with right forearm trouble. He was placed on the injured list with the Cincinnati Reds in 2022 due to right forearm issues, costing him a stretch of that season.
His ability to bounce back from those setbacks and eventually develop into one of the better relievers in baseball is part of why the Twins remain confident this is a manageable situation heading into the offseason.
Hoffman should still be a productive piece for 2027. He is under contract for next season on the three-year, $33 million deal he originally signed with Toronto back in January 2025.
The Twins won their final game of the year on Sunday against the Texas Rangers, finishing with a 77-85 record. Minnesota won seven more games this year than 2025. The hope is that Hoffman should help them get back into the postseason in 2027 if they continue to improve.
The roster move also brought shortstop Kaelen Culpepper back from the injured list after a minimum 10-day absence caused by a mild hamstring strain.
For Hoffman, the priority now will be recovering at his own pace. The forearm inflammation kept him out for the weekend, but the decision also gives him additional time to prepare for 2027.
