TORONTO – When a baseball team has underperformed and underperformed like the Toronto Blue Jays have this season, stumbling out with a 19-25 record, being five games behind a playoff berth and placing in 29th place in runs scored, There are no easy solutions.
But general manager Ross Atkins seemed to have no satisfactory answers for a fan base increasingly uneasy about the team’s early-season struggles before Saturday’s 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Atkins acknowledged that the team is not “where we would like to be,” while reinforcing his belief in the talent of the roster and his faith that there is enough time left in the season (118 games) to turn things around so that the team can begin. Scoring races are more consistent, but “that has to start very early,” he said.
“Overall, what gives us the greatest sense of confidence is the sense of urgency in our clubhouse and that’s one through 26 on our roster and all staff,” Atkins said.
But what remains unanswered is why a roster rich with talent is dead last in the American League East and in the bottom third of MLB in significant offensive categories. Why don’t encouraging signs like “getting to really good counts,” as Atkins pointed out, lead to more runs? And why hasn’t a revamped offensive process, spearheaded by offensive coordinator Don Mattingly, led to demonstrably different offensive results compared to last season?
“We have made changes to our process. We have made changes to people, some of the staff, and that is what we are working on. It takes time, it hasn’t happened soon enough and it needs to start,” Atkins said.
After missing out on prized free agent Shohei Ohtani during the offseason, the Blue Jays adopted a plan that saw them make complementary additions but primarily double their existing core. The hope was that last year’s lackluster offensive results would be a blip and that internal improvement would pick up significantly. That hasn’t happened yet, already a quarter of the way through the season, is it fair to wonder if the Blue Jays don’t have the right players for a championship team?
“We’re not there yet,” Atkins said. “I’ve seen really encouraging signs from Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) over the last few weeks. I’ve seen some really good signs from Bo (Bichette) over the last week and I’ve seen Bo go through these stretches before. Maybe this one is a little longer than the previous one. But he comes out on fire and I know he will. … I have so much confidence in Bo, Vladdy and George (Springer) that they will contribute and be solid, and I am confident that we will score more runs.”
George Springer is hitting .197/.270/.287 with three home runs and seven stolen bases. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
The Blue Jays’ offensive woes are nothing new. Last season, they ranked 14th in runs scored (746), 16th in home runs (188) and 11th in OPS (.746). This year, the Blue Jays rank 29th in runs scored (159), 27th in home runs (36) and 26th in OPS (.662).
Despite his lack of runs, Atkins said he’s seen encouraging signs in the lineup, including “doing better counts” and “making good decisions,” but that most of his players “haven’t hit our best swings in those counts.” . ” When asked why that is, Atkins said: “It’s not something that I’ve been able to identify or Donnie or (John) Schneider or anyone else has been able to identify. We just see it as something we can correct.”
“You don’t just tell someone to swing harder or swing more aggressively at certain counts. It’s not as simple as that,” Atkins continued. “Batting is the most dynamic and challenging challenge in professional sports. And we believe in the things that we have worked to change: we believe in changes and adjustments and we feel that we have the time and the talent to correct that.”
But expecting a correction from the offense seems awfully similar to the tune the Blue Jays sang in 2023. They improved in certain aspects in the second half of last year, including hitting with runners in scoring position. But they were also swept in the Wild Card Series after scoring just one run in two games against the Minnesota Twins.
Asked if he had a message for fans increasingly frustrated with the Blue Jays’ performance, Atkins said: “We believe in this talent. We believe there is time left, but there is a huge sense of urgency and we must solve it soon.”
Atkins praised the work Schneider and the coaching staff have done this season, including the way Mattingly has reinvented the way they convey information to hitters, noting that they have “complete buy-in” from everyone involved.
Ross Atkins expressed his confidence in Don Mattingly, Bo Bichette and John Schneider. (Dan Hamilton / USA Today)
“I know it’s not the satisfactory answer for a fan because we don’t have the results, but the addition of Matt Hague, Donnie’s leadership on the offensive end, the patience and firmness in his approach, the incredible work ethic that they have.” position and that sense of urgency that has been so consistent is really impressive to see, and the fans can’t see that,” Atkins said. “When I see it, that’s where it allows us to be patient.”
Some of Toronto’s offensive struggles can be attributed to the poor performance of its best players. While Guerrero and Bichette have been hitting better lately, Springer has a .557 OPS and was removed from the leadoff spot Saturday in place of Davis Schneider, who was 2-for-5 in the loss. The change, which Schneider discussed with Springer after Friday’s game, is one the club hopes can spur the offense while taking pressure off of Springer as he tries to do well.
Atkins acknowledged that, generally, if a club wins, it’s in part because “your best players are having solid years.” Specifically about Springer, Atkins said, “We need to get him going,” and the focus has been on getting the 34-year-old to hit the ball out of the air to the left side.
“If that intent changes to getting the ball a little bit higher in the air, I think we could turn him back into someone who is a significant part of the top of our order,” Atkins said.
Beyond reconfiguring the lineup, the club has discussed other ways to supplement the offense, including calling up players from Triple A. Names under consideration could include Orelvis Martinez, Spencer Horwitz, Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger, but Atkins said that It’s a matter of balancing your positional adjustment and need for playing time. Trades are another option the front office could explore, although Atkins said, with more than two months until the trade deadline, “you’re obviously paying a premium.”
“We think the best contributions that could create that change and execute the scoring will come from our clubhouse or from Triple A with the players that are here,” Atkins said. “But the dialogue is firm about the alternatives that could occur.”
While Atkins struck an optimistic tone, the reality is that if the Blue Jays continue to find themselves outside of the playoff picture as the mid-season approaches, they will need to consider turning their attention to next season and beyond. That could include doing what seemed unthinkable a few months ago and selling their top trade chips, including Yusei Kikuchi, Yimi Garcia, Justin Turner and Kevin Kiermaier, who are all free agents after this season.
“We’ll see,” Atkins said when asked what the club would do if things don’t improve noticeably. “You’re always prepared for any angle or any pivot you have to make. “We spend every day thinking about all the ways to improve this organization and the situation that could arise.”
In the bigger picture, the Blue Jays also have to contemplate their shrinking window of contention that began with the start of Guerrero and Bichette’s major league careers in 2019, but could be coming to an end as Bichette and Guerrero hits free agency after the 2025 season along with several members of the team, including Jordan Romano, Tim Mayza, Chris Bassitt and Cavan Biggio.
It’s also worth mentioning that if things continue to go poorly for the Blue Jays, Atkins, who has been the general manager since December 2015, may no longer be in charge to make those big-picture decisions if ownership seeks a leadership change if another The season ends without a championship.
Atkins does not believe the club’s 19-25 record is a true reflection of its talent, as many players have not performed “within their normal ranges.” As unsatisfying as the response may be for fans, Atkins was always going to continue to put his faith in the team he built. It’s also understandable that fans choose to see the Blue Jays for what they are: a fifth-place club that’s six games under .500.
The Blue Jays, however, continue to bet on themselves, and if there is a time to start turning their season around, it would be next week when the club begins a 10-game stretch against the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers.
“We believe that with time and the talent that is on the team we will certainly be able to right this ship,” Atkins said. “However, that must begin very soon.”
(Top photo: Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
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