TORONTO — Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins spoke in generalities at times Wednesday as he summed up his team’s disappointing season, noting the club has to “drill down in every area” and understand “every possible opportunity” for improvement. He also zeroed in on some specifics — quiet bats being chief among them — that led to a 79-83 campaign on the heels of a World Series appearance a year before. “Offensively we never gained any momentum,” Atkins said. “We never put the ball in the seats. We were not walking. We were not getting on base nearly enough. “When that happens, you’re relying on line drives in gaps. And the contact just wasn’t enough.” It was a 180-degree turn for an offence that led the major leagues in team average in 2025 and frequently outslugged opponents in the post-season. Toronto simply lost its power this year — a season-long slump from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t help matters — as the team finished last in home runs and near the bottom of MLB in slugging percentage and OPS. Injuries to several starting pitchers stretched the rotation thin and heavily taxed the bullpen. It caught up to the Blue Jays when it mattered most. Team chemistry also didn’t seem quite the same as a year earlier. There were some notable departures as homegrown shortstop Bo Bichette, veteran starter Chris Bassitt and bench coach Don Mattingly moved on in the last off-season. That positive feel-good energy is of course easier to generate when results are there. But Toronto struggled to gain traction from April onward and never looked like the team that came achingly close to winning the Fall Classic. The Blue Jays did seem rejuvenated after a busy trade deadline and briefly held the final wild-card spot a few weeks ago. A run of seven losses in nine games down the stretch sealed their fate. Toronto went from first to worst in the American League East Division standings and capped its campaign last Sunday with a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. “Baseball just punches you in the face — even when you’re really good — pretty regularly,” Atkins said. “So I don’t think our players came in with some level of complacency and needed any humility. “But they’re going to learn just like they learned from winning.” The biggest question mark this year was the performance of Guerrero. A key offensive linchpin throughout his career, he hit just nine home runs and never found his rhythm at the plate. “We’re not going to ignore that that just happened, but we’re very confident that he will be back (in form), as is he,” Atkins said. “I’ve spent a lot of time with him over the last several days and he’s ready to get to work. “He is ready to lean into it. He’s excited about it and extremely confident that he is going to be back.” There were some positives on the campaign. Dylan Cease became the team’s bona fide ace and Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles had a strong rookie season on the mound. Brett Bateman could be the team’s centre-fielder of the future and Louis Varland shone when he took over the closer’s role. Kazuma Okamoto had a big offensive season with 33 homers and 92 RBIs. It was the third time in seven seasons that Toronto has missed the playoffs. “It was a strange year, a tough year,” said team president Mark Shapiro. “One that tested a lot of my personal philosophies of controlling what I can control, which led to testing my patience and having some dark, tough nights.” Atkins should have the payroll flexibility to potentially add a big bat and some pitching depth. The Blue Jays had a payroll of about US$275 million this year and currently have about $195 million on the books for next season. The Blue Jays are scheduled to kick off their pre-season schedule on Feb. 19. However, there is uncertainty on the labour front with the collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and its players’ association set to expire on Dec. 1. Toronto’s regular-season opener is set for March 25 at New York. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2026. Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
