Is GM Ross Atkins off the hot seat after Blue Jays hot stretch?

The Toronto Blue Jays are playing so well that fans are probably pinching themselves. Exactly one year after finishing in the basement of the American League East, the vibes are good around the Blue Jays. That's what happens when your team is in the midst of winning 13 of the last 16 games.

This recent winning stretch has vaulted the Blue Jays into a place of relative stability atop the AL Wild Card standings. With a bunch of mediocre teams beneath them, the Blue Jays can maintain their perch in the standings if they keep playing consistent baseball.

Fortunately, the Blue Jays are playing well in spite of the mediocre performance from some of their marquee offseason additions. Two pitchers and one free agent power bat they acquired during the winter haven't joined the party yet. Therefore, does GM Ross Atkins really deserve a boatload of credit for overseeing this good fortune?

The general sentiment is that the team needs to make the playoffs in order for Atkins to keep his job. While they may stitch together a roster capable of claiming a playoff spot in a weak American League, the Ross Atkins experience has played out over multiple seasons. Do Blue Jays fans really feel like he is the man to lead the organization going forward?

This is the same individual who oversaw the trade of Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. while parting with Gabriel Moreno. It was a philosophy of defense over offense and the Blue Jays have suffered because of that decision.

In fairness, Daulton Varsho is looking like a nice player that they received back from Arizona. His defense is otherworldly and he provides pop for a lineup that can always use it. Plus, Alejandro Kirk is finding his form after the organization inked him to a long-term contract extension. Also, the collection of Addison Barger, Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, and Ernie Clement is providing nice production. All of that is great news for a franchise that desperately needed it. Having said that, the craziest part is that many of the offseason moves to help this team have backfired.

Look at someone like Max Scherzer, who was brought in to provide some stability to a rotation that could use it. Instead, Scherzer has thrown three innings because of various thumb maladies.

What about Anthony Santander? Santander was the big power bat they imported who has been anything but an imposing presence in the Jays order. The former Baltimore Oriole smacked 105 home runs over the past three years, but is currently on the IL with a .179/.273/.304 this year with six home runs and 18 RBI.

Jeff Hoffman looked so good early on but struggled to a near-13 ERA in the month of May. He's giving up too many home runs and will be a liability for this team when they are trying to wrap up victories. Maybe the other general managers weren't so clueless about the underlying health of a pitcher who was coming off a good season.

The season is still early enough that any number of things can happen. Maybe these players can turn it around. Maybe the team slumps while the aforementioned players rebound. Maybe the Blue Jays are the recipient of one of their American League rivals struggling.

In any event, Ross Atkins presumably knows that he needs to have a monster trade deadline to push this team over the top and save his job. Blue Jays fans know that is a much better experience than last summer when the team was trading off various parts.