They may still be a couple steps away from being bona fide contenders but many around MLB are starting to notice what the Toronto Blue Jays have cooking.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio have already graduated to the major-league level, and there’s plenty more talent on the way, highlighted by top prospect Nate Pearson and 2020 first-round pick Austin Martin.
Armed with a plethora of young pieces for the present and future, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins is confident the most turbulent days of the team’s rebuild are in the past and better days lie ahead, starting Friday when Toronto kicks off its 60-game season.
“We feel confident that we’ve definitely gotten through the bumpiest part and now we’re exceptionally excited about the young position player group that has transitioned and the pitching that is coming,” Atkins said Saturday during an appearance on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “There’s a long list of guys that we really feel have the chance to make a significant pitching impact on this organization with a lot of room to add to this team.
“It’s a tough place to get to that point where you have all those things that are in your favour. We are there now. Not without work to do, but we feel very good about the foundation and about the leadership among our players, the way guys are coming together, the fact that we’re going through a pandemic and there’s one thing that’s being talked about and that’s winning.”
Having a deep pipeline will allow the Blue Jays to effectively pick their spots in free agency and the trade market, augmenting the roster by spending on specific team needs.
Atkins started that process this past off-season by bringing in left-handed veteran Hyun-Jin Ryu to front the pitching staff. Ryu hasn’t played a real game in a Blue Jays uniform yet, but he’s already impressing his new team.
“He’s one of the best I’ve ever seen at executing pitches,” Atkins said. “He’s a very good athlete, he cares deeply about his routine and being successful. He’s immediately become a good teammate.
“When you think about his transition you couldn’t ask for a more difficult one. You’re going to a new organization, a new city, he’s newly married, having a child in Dunedin and all he’s focused on and talking about are his teammates.
“He puts a smile on our faces every day, he’s a lot of fun to watch and he’s hopefully going to be a significant piece of our success moving forward.”
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