Blue Jays Pitcher Talked Trash, Then Gave Up Game Tying Home Run In World Series Game 7

The fallout from the 2025 World Series continues, as the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers players have gone on their post-series victory tour. 

With the series being extremely tight, hard fought and dramatic, it wasn't surprising that the tension between the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays finally boiled over in the middle of Game 7. In the bottom of the 4th inning with Toronto leading 3-1, starter turned reliever Justin Wrobleski set things off. 

Andres Gimenez was at the plate, with one out, a 1-2 count, and Wrobleski tried to come up and in, missing off the plate. Gimenez though, bizarrely appeared to try and get hit by throwing his hand off the bat and towards the ball. On the very next pitch, which sailed a bit further inside, it did actually hit him. 

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Gimenez, oddly, seemed to think he was hit on purpose. With the Dodgers trailing, the last thing they'd want was to put the number nine hitter on base for free, with George Springer on deck. Benches cleared, bullpens emptied, and the Major league Baseball tradition of standing around staring at each other ensued. 

Turns out, while the players were milling around, one of the Blue Jays' relievers was talking the most. And it backfired, spectacularly.

TORONTO - Miguel Rojas #72 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a home run against Jeff Hoffman #23 of the Toronto Blue Jays to tie the game 4-4 during the ninth inning in game seven of the 2025 World Series at Rogers Center on November 1, 2025. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

Jeff Hoffman Gives Up Series Changing Home Run After Talking Trash

Dodgers reliever Will Klein, one of the heroes of the 18-inning marathon in Game 3, was asked about the benches clearing, and said Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman was the most vocal Toronto player. Specifically targeting Miguel Rojas. 

Sure enough, Hoffman faced Rojas in the top of the 9th inning, just two outs away from winning a championship. And Rojas got him on a 3-2 slider for one of the most impactful home runs in World Series history.  

"And you kinda saw it coming, because we cleared with them, and Hoffman was kinda yelling at Miggy and Kirby [Yates], and he was the first to walk away," Klein said. "And you're kinda like, does he have it? If you're going to talk crap and then walk away, so it's kinda inevitable that Miggy was gonna go hit that off of him. And it just shows that it doesn't matter what you've done in the past, it's what you can do."

That has to hurt. 

Hoffman had pitched well throughout the series, not allowing a run in any of his appearances through game six. And even though he had to face Shohei Ohtani in the ninth, he had to feel confident in his ability to get three outs. When the benches cleared too, Toronto seemed likely to coast home. Obviously, it didn't work out and Hoffman after the game said he felt like he'd cost his team the championship.

As the old saying goes, to beat the champ, you gotta knock him out. Hoffman didn't, despite apparently acting like he already had.