Trevor Hoffman
Snatched from the Cincinnati Reds by the Florida Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft, Trevor Hoffman was traded to the San Diego Padres in the midst of the 1993 season in a deal that included Gary Sheffield. A relief pitcher, Hoffman developed into an All-Star closer, armed with his fastball and trademark changeup. He won the 1998 Rolaids Relief Man Award, when he led the NL with 53 saves. In 2006, he became the all-time leader in saves.
Played For
Florida Marlins (1993)
San Diego Padres (1993-2005)
All-Time Rankings
Trevor Hoffman ranks #9 among the Top 50 all-time at RP. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1998
Hoffman finished seventh in National League Most Valuable Player voting, the only pitcher to rank in the top 15. He led the loop in saves and helped the Padres to their second pennant.
Born
Trevor William Hoffman was born on October 13, 1967, in Bellflower, CA.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: P
Primary Team: SDN
Major League Debut
April 6, 1993
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1993
Chipper Jones
Manny Ramirez
Shawn Green
Raul Mondesi
Jim Edmonds
Brad Ausmus
Carlos Delgado
Rondell White
Trevor Hoffman
Family Tree
His older brother, Glenn, played nine years in the major leagues, in the 1980s. A shortstop, Hoffman later coached in the majors and managed in the minor leagues. He was hired to manage the Dodgers in the midle of 1998, but was not given the permanent job at the end of the season.
Related Players
Glen Hoffman, Gary Sheffield... Hoffman tied a saves record held by Rod Beck, and had it broken by Tom Gordon... Hoffman was Tony Gwynn Jr.'s favorite player when the son of the Hall of Fame Padres outfielder grew up around the San Diego clubhouse.
Post-Season Appearances
1996 National League Divisional Series
1998 National League Championship Series
1998 National League Divisional Series
2005 National League Divisional Series
The Pitches He Threw
Fastball, change-up, curveball, slider.
Post-Season Notes
Through '05, Hoffman had struck out 13 batters in 12 post-season innings. He had also lost two games in relief and blown one save.
Awards and Honors
1998 NL Rolaids Relief
Feats
In 1998, Hoffman converted his first 33 save opportunities, and had a streak of 41 straight saves overall, before blowing a save in late July. It tied a major league record, held by Rod Beck.
Milestones
On August 15, 2001, Hoffman recorded his 300th career save, against the Mets. Hoffman became the fastest pitcher to reach the mark.
Notes
Hoffman entered games to the sound of Hell's Bells by ACDC... On September 27, 2007, Hoffman surrendered a triple to Milaukee pinch-hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. (who idolized Hoffman when his dad was with San Diego) that tied the game with two outs in the ninth inning. The Padres lost the game, but had they won, they would have clinched a playoff spot. Two days later, after Hoffman blew a two-run lead on the final day of the season, the Padres lost a one-game playoff for the wild card... Hoffman won the 2005 Hutch Award, given to the major leaguer who does the most off the field to help others through charitable work.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Hoffman underwent shoulder surgery in 2002, and pitched in just nine games in 2003. In the 2007 off-season, he had exploratory surgery on his throwing arm.
Transactions
June 5, 1989: Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 11th round of the 1989 amateur draft; November 17, 1992: Drafted by the Florida Marlins from the Cincinnati Reds as the 8th pick in the 1992 expansion draft; June 24, 1993: Traded by the Florida Marlins with Andres Berumen and Jose Martinez to the San Diego Padres for Gary Sheffield and Rich Rodriguez.
All-Star Selections
1998 NL
1999 NL
2000 NL
2002 NL
Replaced
Gene Harris
Replaced By
To be determined.
Best Strength as a Player
His fastball and devastating (at his peak he threw it in the low-to-mid-90s) change-up.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Hoffman went through stretches where he was prone to surrendering home runs. In both 1995, and 2001, two of his more mediocre seasons, Hoffman allowed 10 homers in relief.
Learn More about Trevor Hoffman
Search Amazon.com for Books about Trevor Hoffman ⇒
Search for Trevor Hoffman at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
