Minnesota Twins reliever Jeff Hoffman underwent right arthroscopic elbow surgery, according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes. The surgery included a debridement procedure and the removal of a bone chip. Hayes reported that Hoffman will begin a throwing program in eight weeks and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2027 season.
Jeff Hoffman underwent right arthroscopic elbow surgery w/ Dr. Jeffrey Dugas. Included removal of a bone chip & debridement procedure. #MNTwins say Hoffman will start throwing program in 8 weeks & anticipate him being ready for start of the 2027 season.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) October 27, 2026
The Twins placed Hoffman on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 23. Shortstop Kaelen Culpepper was activated from the IL as a corresponding move. Minnesota technically activated Hoffman from the IL at the conclusion of the regular season.
Since Hoffman will be ready for the 2027 season (if there is one), it appears his procedure was nothing major.
The Twins acquired Hoffman and cash considerations from the Toronto Blue Jays at this year's trade deadline for left-hander Dasan Hill, right-hander John Klein, infielder Dameury Pena and international signing bonus pool space.
Hoffman became one of the Twins' best late-inning arms after joining the club, posting a 2.50 ERA over 18 innings while striking out 27. He is under team control through the 2027 season.
What will Jeff Hoffman's role with the Twins be in 2027?
The Twins kept Yoendrys Gómez as their primary closer after acquiring Hoffman, but Hoffman might take over that role in 2027. Gómez had a strong season with Minnesota but regressed later in the year. Meanwhile, Hoffman had a rough start with Toronto but got better as the season progressed. Hoffman also has much more major-league experience and has pitched in huge postseason games.
Unfortunately, many know Hoffman for giving up a game-tying home run to Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series. However, he still had an amazing 2025 postseason performance, allowing just two earned runs on six hits and two walks over 12 1/3 innings while striking out 18.
It'll be interesting to see how the Twins' bullpen looks next year. The club should add at least a couple of established relievers to the mix this offseason, but Hoffman still appears to be the top candidate to be the main closer unless the team surprisingly signs a top closer like David Bednar.
Between the Blue Jays and Twins this year, Hoffman posted a 3.55 ERA and a 2.48 FIP with 102 strikeouts over 66 innings. The veteran reliever's 2026 ERA was good, but his FIP suggests he pitched even better than his ERA.
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