Ross Atkins Talks Latest Offseason Plans at GM Meetings

The Toronto Blue Jays will be looking forward to an active offseason, with hopes to find the right pieces to help the team continue its winning ways in the upcoming year. As a result, knowing what moves could help achieve that goal will be key going forward.

DiamondCentric’s very own John Bonnes had the distinguished opportunity to catch up with Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins at the recent MLB GM Meetings in Las Vegas. In doing so, he was able to get some of the inside scoop on the latest plans Toronto has for the current offseason.

When asked if there have been any talks about a Daulton Varsho extension, the Jays GM confirmed the interest is there.

“We definitely, definitely have interest, and don’t want to talk about the negotiations, but the interest is definitely there. I can’t say enough about Daulton, the player, the person, the teammate. He checks all the boxes we’re looking for,” Atkins explained.

As for one of the key focuses for the Jays this offseason, everyone will be watching for the outcome of Bo Bichette’s first foray into free agency. What are the chances that Toronto will remain in the mix?

“Yeah, [Bichette’s] a great player. We’ll be in his market,” said Atkins.

One of the earliest offseason transactions for the Blue Jays was a positive one, with former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber opting in to remain with Toronto for the 2026 season. Will his decision to do so affect the Jays’ aggressiveness in the free agent market for starting pitching?

“I mean, everything matters you know, everything, and that is a helpful starting point for us. But I don’t want it to limit us either,” Atkins replied.

As for particular areas or aspects of the Jays’ roster that likely need some further attention, pitching appears to be once again at the forefront, just like in previous years.

“We just subtracted more pitching than we did on the position player side,” Atkins said.

So, is adding pitching potentially going to be a priority?

“Yeah.”

Ultimately, however, after a successful 2025 campaign for the Blue Jays, the GM’s top priority isn’t any one specific area of the team. Rather, the goal is to improve in any way possible.

“Just get better. Just get better. Try to find a way to get better. And we do have some subtractions from the team,” explained Atkins.

It is certainly quite reassuring to learn that despite the amazing progress made by the Jays organization in 2025, they are still keen on getting even better for next season and beyond. Even better, that plan could include retaining star players like Varsho and Bichette long term. In addition, by cleverly recognizing that pitching is one of the key aspects of the game, the Jays likely will be in play for impactful players both in the starting and relief markets.

As a result, Toronto fans can prepare for an exciting offseason ahead, as Atkins and the Jays will do all they can to keep the team competitive for years to come.