With his team sitting five games under .500 and languishing in last place in the AL East, Ross Atkins faced the media on Saturday morning to address the Blue Jays’ ongoing run-scoring struggles.
The statistics are stark and undeniable.
The Toronto Blue Jays are averaging just 3.6 runs per game, ranking 29th in baseball for offensive production, ahead of only the Chicago White Sox, who are more focused on securing a high draft pick than competing.
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Advanced metrics tell the same story. The Blue Jays have a wRC+ of 94 through 43 games, well below league average and 23rd overall in baseball. Even with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. showing some signs of improvement in May, the team’s wRC+ has dropped to 81, leading to George Springer being moved from the leadoff spot.
The playoff odds, run differential, and offensive statistics all suggest that a dramatic turnaround is unlikely.
It’s clear that significant improvement is necessary for the team to become a contender in the summer and avoid being sellers at the trade deadline in about ten weeks.
Atkins acknowledges the urgency but continues to preach patience, a stance increasingly unpopular with the fan base.
“Obviously, we’re not where we would like to be,” Atkins said. “We have seen some encouraging things lately that haven’t translated into wins. We believe that with time and the talent on this team, we can turn things around. However, that needs to start soon. The greatest source of confidence comes from the sense of urgency in our clubhouse, from the players to the coaching staff.”
Atkins highlighted some positive trends he has observed.
“We’re getting into better counts and making starting pitchers work harder,” Atkins said. “Last night wasn’t a great example, but over the past month, we’ve been getting into good hitters’ counts. We just haven’t been capitalizing on those opportunities.”
Despite giving a strong vote of confidence to the coaching staff, including manager John Schneider and offensive coordinator Don Mattingly, Atkins admitted the team has struggled to execute in key moments.
“It’s not something we’ve pinpointed, but we believe it’s correctable,” Atkins said. “Hitting is incredibly challenging, and the adjustments we’ve made are sound. We have faith in our changes and the talent we have.”
Atkins reiterated his belief in the team’s potential and the processes in place, though the fan base remains skeptical.
May isn’t typically trade season, and significant deals are hard to come by this early, but Atkins mentioned that the team is exploring options.
“If we were to acquire a player now, we’d be paying a premium — which we can do,” Atkins said. “We have the assets to trade for high-level talent. However, we believe the best improvements will come from within our current roster and Triple-A. Still, we’re keeping an eye on external options.”
The Blue Jays face the possibility of transitioning from buyers to sellers by July if they don’t improve.
“We’ll see,” Atkins said. “We’re prepared for any necessary adjustments. It really comes down to scoring more runs. I believe we can prevent runs and have the talent and time to increase our scoring. We need to start winning more games now.”
