Jeff Hoffman is headed to the Minnesota Twins, according to several reports.

The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to send their former closer to the Minnesota Twins in a deal that’s pending a physical. Hoffman isn’t a rental, as the 33-year-old is signed through the 2027 season as part of his three-year, $33 million contract signed before the start of last season.

In return, the Twins are sending three prospects — left-hander Dasan Hill, right-hander John Klein and infielder Dameury Pena — as well as $250,000 in international signing bonus space. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi were first on the full return.

Hoffman was in his second season with the Blue Jays, having posted a 3.94 ERA and 2.49 FIP with a 26.5 per cent strikeout-minus-walk rate — the second-highest of his career — in 51 relief appearances. He also converted five saves in nine attempts before being removed from the closer’s role earlier this season.

On the surface, the right-handed reliever has endured a good, albeit weird, 2026 campaign thus far. Lately, however, the results have been far more stellar, consisting of a 1.21 ERA and 2.34 FIP with 30 strikeouts and only eight walks across 22.1 innings since the start of June.

As part of the deal, Toronto’s front office has also agreed to include cash considerations, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, which will go towards Hoffman’s $12.67 million salary for next season.

This avenue, which was also utilized in the earlier Daulton Varsho trade with the Houston Astros, helped general manager Ross Atkins command a better return for Hoffman’s services.

Hill, a left-handed starting pitching prospect, is the most notable player joining the Blue Jays’ system in this deal. The 20-year-old, 6-foot-5 hurler has spent his entire second professional campaign at High-A, pitching to an inflated 5.80 ERA in 16 starts due to command issues (17.2 per cent walk rate).

But he also features an elite strikeout rate of 35.8 per cent, fuelled by a high-90s fastball that touches triple digits and a pair of high swing-and-miss breaking balls (sweeper and curveball). His arsenal is rounded out by a mid-80s changeup that he mostly uses against right-handed batters.

The 2024 draftee will likely conclude this season in Vancouver and, more notably, isn’t Rule 5-eligible until after the 2028 season.

Klein is a hybrid right-handed pitcher who’s split the last two seasons as a starter and reliever. He made his major league debut with the Twins earlier this season, making a trio of relief appearances, and has all three options remaining.

Pena is a low-level infield prospect in his third season stateside after signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2023. The right-handed second baseman is a high on-base, contact-over-power hitter with just one home run in 83 games split between Single-A and High-A this season. His bat has come along slowly at the High-A circuit, posting a .245/.321/.316 slash line with a 71 wRC+ (100 league average) in 110 plate appearances at the time of the trade.

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