The Run Prevention Apology

GM Ross Atkins admits the need to find more offence

The Blue Jays need to score more runs. Well, duhh! That’s been a fact of ‘24 MLB life that has frustrated Jays fans, all season, as the front office over the winter chose to beef up run prevention, signing a series of “defence-first” players and expecting the improvement to come from returning players like Bo Bichette, George Springer, Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho. On July 30, GM Ross Atkins admitted as much in a media availability following the trade deadline. Now, it seems, the Jays are sacrificing the remainder of 2024 by trading away eight veteran players, including all six expiring contracts, plus RH Nate Pearson and INF Isiah Kiner-Falefa. In return they received 13 prospects, plus longtime nemesis LH Ryan Yarbrough. But it was mission accomplished as the Jays have now snuck under the threshold of the luxury tax and have about $50-million extra to spend on payroll in 2024, just to equal where they stood on Opening Day this year. In this week’s Exit Philosophy, Scotty Mac and I ponder the immediate future and if it is possible to compete in 2025 without a huge rebuild. ‘Cuz that’s what the Jays plan on doing. With 19 signed draft picks, 11 undrafted, amateur, free agents and 13 prospects on board via trade, they have restocked the farm, but the big club remains a question mark — until further notice.