The Toronto Blue Jays reached the postseason as a Wild Card team in 2022 and 2023, only to fall well short in 2024.
The team is likely to finish in last place in the American League East after a disappointing season. This has led to speculation that General Manager Ross Atkins could be on the hot seat.
R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports listed Atkins as an executive whose job could be on the line after the season ends.
"There's no denying it. The Blue Jays had a terribly disappointing season. Barring an extension between now and next winter, every passing day brings them closer to the possibility of losing homegrown stars Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to free agency," Anderson wrote. "If things go south again next season, the impending departures of Bichette and Guerrero would make for a more natural breaking point with Atkins."
Atkins certainly will be looked at with scrutiny after this season. Anderson predicts that he'll be safe for 2025, but the roster construction of the 2024 Blue Jays certainly raises some questions for him.
Toronto was expected to be a clear contender this year but have already been eliminated from the playoff race. The team is 73-85 on the season and 19 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East.
Toronto does have a solid core in place, but they'll need to bounce back into contention next year if Atkins' job is to be safe in the future.
It will be interesting to see how the Blue Jays approach the offseason.
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