Some nights in baseball, the script proactively writes itself, and Wednesday was one of those nights at the Rogers Centre. Two guys, both drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014. One Jeff Hoffman, who left Toronto ages ago and found a new home in Philadelphia, finally made it back to Toronto. The other Jordan Romano, the Toronto guy—until this off-season, when he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. And well, they crossed paths yet again.

This time, they were warming up on opposite sides of the bullpen as a 1-1 tie appeared on the scoreboard. But then came the twist. Hoffman got the job done for the Blue Jays, working around a single from Alex Bohm. On the other hand, Romano got obliterated.

A walk-off single from Alejandro Kirk handed the Phillies a 2-1 loss and gave Romano a sad welcome-back moment. And well, he didn’t sugarcoat his struggles.

Romano, without mincing words, said, “I’ve got to be better. Can’t just give up that free base. The past couple of outings, I’ve given up a couple of free bases. Something to work on for sure.” He added, “Definitely a lot of emotion coming here. Got on the mound, focused. I felt good. Stuff felt good. Obviously, not good enough.” Now, to be fair, he is not so far off from this self-assessment, given his numbers have been choppy this year.

Jordan Romano entered Wednesday night with a 7.36 ERA and a WHIP of 1.59. But before the outing, he had turned quite a corner. Since May, he has posted a 3.09 ERA with 19 strikeouts over 11.2 innings. Sure, it’s not top-level, but still, it’s workable. But for Phillies fans, mediocre doesn’t work because the bullpen has been shaky for weeks. And now they are watching a former Blue Jay hand them another gut-punching loss.

But here is the deal—this is a 162-game season. The bullpen blows games, and closers have rough stretches, but the good ones bounce back, too. So it’s up to Romano to prove that he is well worth the $8.5 million the Philadelphia Phillies invested in.

Hoffman shines in Toronto, but the Philadelphia Phillies still have his heart

While the Toronto Blue Jays had a fulfilling night, it’s hard to say they won anything just yet. Jeff Hoffman did outduel his former team, but he has had his struggles in a Jays uniform. He gave up five runs in his last 12.2 innings. Still, one crucial fact is that Hoffman’s journey to Toronto hasn’t been filled with rose petals.

If you rewind a little, his journey has been nothing but topsy-turvy. After seven years of bouncing between the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds, with some of the most forgettable numbers and a sub-1.0 WAR, he made his way to the Phillies. And the cards turned. 2023 was great for him with a 1.9 WAR and a 2.41 ERA. A complete career reboot. And in 2024, it was even better: 2.17 ERA, 89 strikeouts in 66.1 innings, and he also got his first All-Star nod.

Phillies have always been special for him, till today. Hoffman told The Athletic, “I’m really thankful and grateful for the opportunity they gave me. That allowed me to do what I have done, come here and make some money… owe a lot of that to them. I definitely wouldn’t be here without that.”

And this appreciation goes both ways. Phillies gifted him a “Hoffman Ave” street sign during their series in Toronto. Apparently, it was a clubhouse joke that became real when he earned his first All-Star nod. That sign sitting in his Jays locker just symbolized the bond that still lingers between Hoffman and the city.

Such bonds bring a smile to your face, don’t they?