Jays’ rebuilding momentum must continue in off-season
TORONTO, Ont. — It’s hardly an exact exercise to pinpoint the starting clock on the rebuild of a professional sports franchise, but there are some moments that invariably can stand out.
For the latest construction of the Blue Jays, a move late last December certainly holds some significance. When the Jays signed Hyun-Jin Ryu to a four-year, US$80-million contract, the flare was ignited.
Players on the current roster took notice. High-profile agents (such as Ryu’s Scott Boras) took notice. And the rest of the baseball world was seemingly well aware that the Jays were intent on being a player sooner than later.
All along, the intention was to follow the Ryu signing with more big moves this winter. Last Thursday, the MLB general manager meetings — an event during which deals are often generated — wrapped up, not in a posh Arizona resort as usually planned, but like everything else in today’s world, virtually.
Jays general manager Ross Atkins has been as active as one in his profession can be in a tentative off-season as teams around baseball deal with the financial fallouts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Already, however, he has spent US$8 million US to sign starting pitcher Robbie Ray, and said after the meetings finished last week that he had been “close” to finishing another deal.
At least part of the aggression the Jays are bringing to the virtual bargaining tables this winter can be attributed to the signing of Ryu. After all, why waste even one of those three remaining $20-million seasons?
“I think it all factors in,” Atkins said on a Zoom call with Toronto media. “I think just the way the industry views the year that we had, the progress we made last year … what’s ahead for the Toronto Blue Jays bodes well as we engage with other teams and with agents.
“Ryu has been a very strong piece of that equation. We love Hyun-Jin Ryu and are really glad that he is here just because of the influence the he has had. We’re hopeful to add others like him.”
Though the Jays seem to be in the mix of much of the free-agent and trade chatter, obviously they aren’t going to force the issue on a player that doesn’t fit or comes at a price too dear either in dollars or prospect capital.
But all along, the plan has been to add pieces sooner than later to take advantage of both those peak Ryu years and the talented young group of position players already in place.
“I think urgency is about synching it up,” Atkins said. “You want to make sure that the timing matches so that you are not just adding one year but that you continue to add for years to come, (that you) have the room to do that, have the talent where it makes sense to do that.
“Hopefully we’re doing it to the extent that our team gets into a position where it’s hard to make it better. There are a couple of teams out there that are like that. We feel that we are on a good path to having one of the stronger rosters in baseball. We’re not there yet, but we’ve made some steps toward that.”
As for the remainder of the off-season, Atkins expects business to move at a slower tempo, much like last winter. Understandably, teams around MLB are being cautious after the revenue gutting of 2020, and prospects for more of the same in 2021.
There’s also the issue that the Jays have yet to get firm budget approval from owner Rogers Communications. None of that is dimming Atkins’ enthusiasm, however.
“We see opportunity for us to get better,” Atkins said. “There is opportunity in this market for sure. We will continue to have opportunities to move the needle further.”
WHAT ABOUT VLAD?
Atkins sure sounded enthused about the glowing reports of Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s workout regimen and weight loss this off-season, and it certainly is a positive development for the young infielder.
Really, though, it will be a welcome off-season when Guerrero’s conditioning is a non-story and the team doesn’t feel a need to provide an update and talk glowingly about a player being in tiptop shape.
“He’s been awesome,” Atkins said. “Since the first day of the off-season, he has been focused on repositioning himself, literally and figuratively. He has really put a lot of thought into how things have transpired to date. He is as committed as we’ve seen him to making a significant change.”
Though Guerrero is currently back in his native Dominican Republic, he has spent some time at the Jays complex in Dunedin where a number of Jays regulars have been working out. Included in that group, according to Atkins: Bo Bichette, Ryan Borucki, Rowdy Tellez, Jordan Romano and Danny Jansen.
HOME AGAIN
The topic of where the Jays will play their home opener on April 8 will remain a hot topic in the off-season.
Atkins reiterated that the Jays continue to explore other options, should the border remain closed.