Should the Blue Jays Consider Replacing GM Ross Atkins?

Should the Blue Jays replace Ross Atkins?

With president Mark Shapiro perhaps more focused on the Rogers Centre renovations and longer-term plans to redevelop the 12.7-acre site around the stadium, GM Ross Atkins and his analytics group may be making more of the day-to-day decisions on the baseball operations side.

That may not be a good thing given a seven-year cumulative record of MLB talent downgrades via trades, a looming luxury tax payroll squeeze, poor roster and talent management, and a farm system that is ranked bottom third in the league.

While it’s extremely unlikely that Ross Atkins will be fired this offseason, that doesn’t remove the lingering concern that perhaps it would be best for this organization if he was fired.

After seven seasons here in the GM role, he’s certainly next on the firing line should the Blue Jays regress and miss the playoffs, or not go deep in the postseason again next year. The team is in “win now” mode, and 2023 will be year three of their current competitive window. His moves will be closely scrutinized this offseason given the clearly identified needs that must be addressed to improve this club.

Talk is cheap, and the time for action on better swing and miss pitching and hitting balance is here. As Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun wrote about Ross Atkins after Charlie Montoyo was fired, “Now he’s on the hot seat… These are Atkins’ players (and by extension Mark Shapiro’s players). This is their team.”

Your move, Ross.