Toronto Blue Jays exec interviewing for other jobs in middle of playoff race
One of the Toronto Blue Jays’ executives might have one foot out the door while in the midst of the team’s playoff race.
According to The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli, Blue Jays assistant GM James Click has interviewed for the Colorado Rockies’ vacant general manager role, formerly occupied by Bill Schmidt.
Ghiroli reported that Click was one of at least three candidates interviewed for the role, along with Kansas City Royals assistant GM Scott Sharp and Cleveland Guardians assistant GM Matt Forman.
Click spent three years in the Astros organization as the team’s GM, but turned down a contract renewal with the team shortly after winning the World Series, announcing his departure in November 2022. During Click’s time as GM, the Astros had a record of 230-154, making it to two World Series and three American League Championship Series.
What does the Click news mean for the Blue Jays front office?
In the short term, not much. There’s only so much a front office can do to impact the postseason, as it’s not like the Jays can go out and trade for or sign more players in the middle of the playoffs.
Unless Click gets a promotion in Toronto, it always seemed likely that his stint with the Blue Jays would be a transitional one until a bigger role opened up elsewhere.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins is in his fourth year of a five-year deal that is set to expire after 2026. All indications seem to show that he’ll be back for one more season at the very least.
But Toronto has one more big move to figure out in the front office.
In the final year of his five-year deal, Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro has been pretty mum about his future, but stated that his conversations with the team’s owners and board members were positive about his next contract.
“It’s not appropriate for me to comment beyond the fact that…I want to remain here, and I can also say that [Rogers executives] Edward [Rogers] and Tony [Staffieri] have been reciprocal in that desire,” Shapiro said in an August media availability.
In any case, no matter if the Blue Jays go all the way or end up flaming out in the ALCS, we should get some clarity in the coming weeks about their front office’s future.