Ross Atkins to return as Blue Jays GM in 2025

 

General manager Ross Atkins is receiving support from Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro.

Atkins will make a comeback next season, according to Shapiro, following the Blue Jays' first postseason exit since 2021.

"There won't be a change with Ross," Shapiro said. "The reason for that is, you know, the process that I went through to consider whether or not there would be a change with his role was one of both considering alternatives and looking at the work that's been done."

Since December 3, 2015, Atkins has been the general manager of Toronto. The Blue Jays have advanced to the postseason four times under Atkins' leadership, including three of the last five seasons.

But the Blue Jays are coming off a poor season in which they finished last in the AL East for the first time since 2013, and they haven't won a postseason game since 2016.

In 2021, Atkins agreed to a five-year contract extension, which runs out following the 2026 campaign.

Following the Minnesota Twins' rout in the 2023 postseason, Toronto pursued the current MVP, Shohei Ohtani, but was unable to sign the Japanese sensation. Yariel Rodriguez, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Justin Turner were among the players the Blue Jays signed after that.

According to FanGraphs, Toronto had a 49.0% chance of making the playoffs and a 2.9% chance of winning the World Series going into the season.

Naturally, the Blue Jays, who finished the 2024 season with 74 wins and were rated 23rd in baseball in runs scored (671), 14th in ERA (3.95), and 29th in ERA (4.82) in the bullpen, did not see their expectations fulfilled.

At the trade deadline, Toronto dealt away pending free agents Yusei Kikuchi, Yimi García, Danny Jansen, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Justin Turner, Trevor Richards, Kevin Kiermaier, and former top prospect Nate Pearson as a result of the dismal season.

After the deadline and draft, Baseball America placed the Blue Jays' farm system as the 23rd best in baseball, despite the minor league roster being replenished.