SportsBaseballBlue Jays

Blue Jays' Ross Atkins says decision to pull Berrios was John Schneider's

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Oct 7 2023, 4:14 pm
Blue Jays' Ross Atkins says decision to pull Berrios was John Schneider's
Jerome Miron | Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

Fans were not happy with the Toronto Blue Jays’ quick exit in the Wild-Card Series versus the Minnesota Twins, with one moment in particular causing frustration.

That one moment came in the fourth inning, when manager John Schneider chose to pull Jose Berrios just 47 pitches in despite the fact he hadn’t given up a run. It was a baffling decision that many deemed a fireable offence, though some questioned whether it was truly Schneider’s decision, or one given to him by higher-ups such as Atkins. Atkins himself spoke with reporters on Saturday morning to try and clear up the situation.

“As it relates to the meeting, those meetings are John Schneider’s meetings,” Atkins said. “He has a group of individuals that he prepares with every day. His process, routine, his preparation was no different that day. The group is the staff that’s on the field. It’s not the front office. I do not attend these meetings, and I certainly do not make those decisions. When that decision occurred, I found out about it when you did.”

Atkins went on to say that no one from the front office takes part in Schneider’s meetings, further ensuring the decision was made by the Blue Jays skipper. Despite seemingly throwing his manager under the bus, Atkins also confirmed that Schneider will be back with the club for the 2024 season.

If anything, this press conference from Atkins will leave Jays fans more confused, as Schneider told reporters after the game he shared frustration with the fans regarding Berrios being pulled early. Who truly called for the decision to pull the 29-year-old is unknown, but Jays fans deserve to know. Whether they ever will or not remains to be seen.

ADVERTISEMENT