5 Ross Atkins quotes to note from GM Meetings

This story was excerpted from Keegan Matheson’s Blue Jays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

TORONTO -- Down at the annual GM Meetings in San Antonio, Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays are laying the groundwork for 2025. There’s a lot of work to do.

Thus begins the first lap of the offseason, which can be long, slow and full of flirtation.

The Blue Jays need to upgrade their offense, significantly improve their bullpen and build out their depth in the rotation. To a certain extent, the money should be there for Toronto to move freely, but it’s also going to take some creativity and the trade market is expected to be part of this plan.

Atkins spoke with our Jordan Bastian down in San Antonio. Here’s what stood out to me.

1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Atkins: “He’s a great player. I’m not going to talk about anything that relates to negotiating a contract, but he’s a great player. He’s a great person. He’s a great teammate. We’re excited about his evolution in all of those categories and as a leader in the game. Love the human, love the player.”

Anything the Blue Jays say about Guerrero is newsworthy these days, even if they’re saying nothing at all. This could take many different shapes, but extending Guerrero this offseason would put the coming years in a completely different light and reignite hope for a fan base that both needs and deserves it.

2. Do the Blue Jays need to add a catcher?
Atkins: “Not a priority for us. If we were, in an ideal world, it would be a left-handed-hitting, polished receiver. Those guys are either locked up or really valuable to other teams. We feel good about the options we have, but if we can get better there, we will.”

So it’s not a priority … but the Blue Jays have a “type” in mind. You can read between the lines here and it’s still very clear that Toronto needs to support Alejandro Kirk with a 1B to work in tandem with him, not just a traditional backup to spell him once a week. This feels like a position the Blue Jays could slow play, hoping to find value later in the offseason with whatever resources they have left.

3. Will Daulton Varsho (rotator cuff surgery) be ready for Opening Day?
Atkins: “I think the expectation is that he could be a little bit behind that.”

Atkins went on to praise Varsho for the player and person he is -- fresh off winning an AL Gold Glove Award -- but this is a storyline that’s not getting enough attention. The Blue Jays have options in-house, but they’ve been hesitant to give Nathan Lukes regular reps and Jonatan Clase is still very raw. If only Kevin Kiermaier weren’t retiring on top, this would be a perfect spot for a reunion, but the Blue Jays will need to survey the outfield market for a veteran who can defend the position well, but also have some value to the roster after Varsho returns.

A player similar to Michael A. Taylor, who signed a one-year, $4 million deal with the Pirates last offseason, makes sense as a “type” here.

4. How to rebuild a bullpen
Atkins: “Creatively. You have to be creative in that area. That market is so volatile. You don’t want to put yourself in just one aspect of it. If you go to the top end, you’ve got to have really clear reasons why.”

This won’t be cheap. This front office has had success in the past shopping at the bottom end of the MLB-level relief market, but they’ll need to do more this winter. A sensible play here to make one big, aggressive run at a top-end reliever they love, then support that signing with at least two more MLB-level pitchers and the usual dice rolls on depth.

5. Free agency or trades?
Atkins: “There will be opportunities via free agency and via trade. We have some depth that, if we need to make trades, we’re in position to do so.”

Given the number or needs they’re facing, it’s difficult to see the Blue Jays getting to February without a trade. Their farm system isn’t going to overwhelm anyone, but the level of MLB and Triple-A depth they have -- particularly in the infield -- will appeal to plenty of clubs. Packaging one or two of those young players together for a reliever or depth starter feels like a wise play here, and that depth can be replaced by Minor League signings.