Atkins: Blue Jays focused on adding offence
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General manager Ross Atkins told reporters Monday that the Toronto Blue Jays’ off-season search is focused on adding offensive production.
TSN Blue Jays Reporter Scott Mitchell notes this likely comes in the form of a left-handed hitting outfielder.
"I don't think many teams could say it could come from either [signing a free agent or making a trade] and we can say that easily,” Atkins said of how the team plans to address their offensive search.
Mitchell points out that two available free agents who could fit the Jays’ hunt for an outfield bat are Michael Conforto – who the team has previously had interest in – and Jurickson Profar. Atkins said the team has money left to spend and could also address the need with a trade later in the off-season.
Atkins spoke to reporters Monday while introducing starter Chris Bassitt, who joined the Jays on a three-year, $63 million deal last week. Toronto’s GM said the club is keeping an open mind regarding further pitching adds but thinks both the starting rotation and bullpen are in a great spot.
“You could argue [the starting rotation] is top-five. We think it is. We’ll continue to think about ways to improve it,” he said.
“We have one of the best bullpens in baseball at this point, certainly from a depth perspective. It’s top-five in our point of view.”
Kevin Gausman, Alek Manoah, Bassitt and Jose Berrios are expected to occupy four of the Jays’ five starting spots next season. When asked about the team’s fifth starter, Atkins left the door open to it being filled internally.
‘We’re excited about a bounce back [with Yusei] Kikuchi as well as having Mitch White on board and having some prospects that are exciting.”
Atkins also commented on the Blue Jays’ surplus of catchers and hinted the team would be comfortable bringing back all three of Alejandro Kirk, Danny Jansen and Gabriel Moreno next season.
“We feel like we have an incredible position of strength in our catching and we are 100 per cent comfortable remaining in that position of strength,” adding the trade market for catchers is “exceptionally strong.”