"When evaluating, you're not evaluating on a series or even a season. And in Ross's case, the body of work, to me, is undeniable," Shapiro said. "There's over eight seasons — whether it's the last four having the sixth-best record in the American League, whether it's three of the last four years in the post-season, building out great resources, hiring a great leadership team that's been successful, both internationally and domestically."
"We need to get better," continued Shapiro. "Ross needs to get better but he's done a good job and put us in a good position next year to be a very good team and certainly deserves that opportunity to continue to lead the baseball organization."
Atkins signed a five-year contract extension in 2021 that expires after the 2026 season.