Blue Jays GM Atkins says three key players won’t be back
It was expected that several of the Toronto Blue Jays free agents wouldn’t be returning, but few thought we would have answers on their futures this quickly.
In what was an already heavily criticized season-ending press conference this morning, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins seemingly admitted that Matt Chapman, Brandon Belt, and Kevin Kiermaier will not be returning for the 2024 season.
“The bulk of our team [is] essentially returning,” Atkins said. “We’ll miss Matt Chapman and Brandon Belt and Kevin Kiermaier. We’ll see opportunities to work to fill those holes from within and externally. The bulk of our pitching returning, minus Hyun-Jin Ryu. Maybe a couple of others, Alek Manoah coming back into the fold, though Hyun-Jin Ryu could also be an alternative for us.”
Atkins did later on clarify that the Jays are open to bringing back all three, but many are taking this as an accidental slip-up on what the plans are moving forward. Based on this press conference, it feels highly unlikely that any of the three will be back. The same could apply for Ryu, who Atkins also seemed to suggest would not return before backtracking seconds later.
Chapman will likely command a salary too big to match for the Jays on the open market, while Belt has been honest about the fact he may choose to retire. As for Kiermaier, he recently expressed his desire to play on grass rather than artificial turf, which made his return seem less than likely. That said, none of the three ruled out a return, which makes today’s press conference all the more baffling.
Tensions are quite high among Blue Jays fans after what was another disappointing playoff exit, and what was said today only seems to be adding to that. Safe to say, there will be a ton of pressure on everyone in the organization heading into the 2024 season.
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