3 takeaways from Shapiro and Atkins' end-of-year Blue Jays press conference

As the Toronto Blue Jays continue to navigate through Game 7's heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, President Mark Shapiro and General Manager Ross Atkins held their end-of-year press conferences on Thursday afternoon.

Along with their disappointment of losing the World Series, both Shapiro and Atkins shared their optimism for 2026 and the upcoming offseason. Judging by the comments made by Shapiro and Atkins, it seems the offseason is off to a good start, highlighted by the return of Shane Bieber.

With the press conferences over, both executives left some thoughts to the imagination, sparking a piqued interest in how they'll approach certain situations, such as Bo Bichette's free agency.

Bo's situation aside, here are three takeaways from the end-of-year press conferences.

The captain stays at the helm of the ship

Ross Atkins' first significant announcement was the return of manager John Schneider, with the Blue Jays exercising his 2026 option. It seemed like an obvious decision to bring back the man who took the last-place AL East Blue Jays to the World Series in a year.

Gone are the days when fans and media alike anticipated Schneider's exit, and he looks to be in the clear after it felt like his job was on the line if the 2025 Blue Jays delivered similar results to 2024. With nearly the entire coaching staff invited back (except for Don Mattingly), it made sense to let John Schneider continue his tenure with the Blue Jays.

Shapiro praised Schneider in his portion of the press conference, stating, "He keeps getting better. He's certainly put himself among the top group of managers in the game." Those words are of merit, with Atkins announcing the Blue Jays and Schneider are working on an extension to keep the skipper beyond 2026. The hot seat has cooled off; John Schneider is here to stay.

A new closer?

Although there's a collective sense of sadness among the Blue Jays' roster (Addison Barger stating he thinks there wasn't anybody with a dry eye), there's probably nobody who feels more grief than Jeff Hoffman. The 2025 closer gave up the game-tying home run to Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7 which led to the eventual World Series loss.

When asked if Hoffman was going to be the closer for the 2026 Blue Jays, Atkins said, "He's not married to that. I think he would be open to anything that makes us better." Hoffman signed a three-year, $33 million deal before the 2025 season to be the Blue Jays' closer. He finished the regular season with 33 saves and a 4.37 ERA, while giving up a staggering 13 home runs in the ninth inning. In the postseason, he was lights out with a 1.46 ERA with two saves.

Should Atkins be serious about relieving Hoffman's role as a closer, then it could mean looking at free agency for his replacement. The likes of Edwin Diaz and Devin Williams are expected to test free agency, and they could be viable options for the Blue Jays this winter.

Trade market in motion for a starting pitcher

The biggest piece of news to come from Atkins' press conference was the statement that the Blue Jays are in the trade market for a starting pitcher. Despite having players like Eric Lauer under team control, it appears the Blue Jays are seeking to get their fifth starting pitcher for the rotation externally.

"We do feel good about the free agent market and the starting pitching area," said Atkins. "We'll get to work on the trade front as well and have somewhat started that."

After Bieber exercised his option, the current rotation contains him, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, and Kevin Gausman. While there are some interesting names on the free agent market, like Shota Imanga, Zac Gallen, and Dylan Cease (to name a few), the trade market opens up a world of possibilities.

Over the last few days, the trade rumors for Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal have ramped up. ESPN's Buster Olney stated, "Other teams in the league believe the Tigers will move him this winter." Of course, if a pitcher like Skubal is available, then it may leave the Blue Jays no choice but to consider a strong push for the 2024 Pitching Triple Crown winner.

However, it could mean a very steep price for a pitcher who's expected to hit free agency after the 2026 season. With a Blue Jays team that showed their strong brotherhood all season, it would have to be the deal of a lifetime for Ross Atkins to make if trades were to be made.