Will the Blue Jays add another player? Fans not thrilled with Atkins' answer

The pressure is on for Toronto Blue Jays management entering the 2024 season, but don’t expect Ross Atkins to make big changes to his roster anytime soon.

After a disappointing playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, the Blue Jays entered the offseason in hopes of adding a superstar-calibre player to their lineup. They were in on both Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani but failed to land either. Instead, they settled for more mid-tier additions, which has them on the outside looking in for the playoff picture according to oddsmakers.

Given their playoff disappointments, one would think that Blue Jays management would be looking to do everything in their power to bring in a game-changing player, though based on comments from Atkins today, that doesn’t seem likely.

“At this point, additions that would be of significance would mean some level of subtraction,” Atkins said to reporters.

That quote certainly doesn’t sound promising, and though Atkins is known for being tight-lipped when speaking to media, Jays fans were not thrilled with this answer.

“But hey! How about those 100-level cup holders!” pic.twitter.com/CSppSvLjen

— Matt Pisko (@MattPisko) February 15, 2024

Ross Atkins is going to be known as the GM who did nothing with two of the best prospects the Jays have ever had and as far as I’m concerned Mark Shapiro’s name can be dragged through the mud as well for enabling Atkins.

— Ian Tyrrell (@tyrreian) February 15, 2024

I sincerely hope that’s just gamesmanship and that he doesn’t actually believe it. There’s not a chance giving ABs to Chapman or Bellinger over IKF, KK, or Turner is subtraction.

— Julius (@culturehoodie) February 15, 2024

What a lack luster off-season. Goes from Ohtani hype to IKF and JT. Not real game changers there.

— Bryan Hermans (@bryh1980) February 15, 2024

Which is what happens when adding a player to the 40 man roster… Is he specifically regurgitating MLB roster rules as an excuse to not make the team better? Yikes.

— Blue Jays Realist (@MrMikeWalpole) February 15, 2024

Ok. Because I don’t think this team is winning anything, at which point it’s going to be all subtractions and another rebuild.

— Anne Campbell (@filmgatereviews) February 15, 2024

Extraordinarily disappointing offseason with no additional moves “of significance”

— Andrew Ruschpler (@aruschpler) February 15, 2024

I interpret that as a no. Disappointing indeed.

— Reggie Singh (@SmoothBrownMan) February 15, 2024

Absolutely pathetic

— Tyler Fraudbert (@tyler_faubert) February 15, 2024

Will be hilarious to see what excuse he comes up with when we finish 4th (maybe even 5th if Boston gets serious)

— J (@Jorgee416) February 15, 2024

One big-name player who remains on the market is Cody Bellinger. The 2019 NL MVP was reportedly on the Blue Jays radar earlier in the offseason, but rumours on that front have since evaporated. At this time, it seems that Atkins is preparing to enter the season with his current roster intact.

Today marked the first day of spring training workouts for the Blue Jays, while their first spring training game will come on February 24 versus the Philadelphia Phillies.

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