3 Blue Jays MLB Winter Meetings mistakes that should get Ross Atkins fired

There might not be a general manager under more pressure to succeed this offseason than Ross Atkins. Not only are the Toronto Blue Jays coming off a disastrous 2024 campaign, but the 2025 season is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette's last under team control. The pressure is on Atkins to field a winner right now.

Jays fans had hoped that Atkins would've made a splash or two at this year's Winter Meetings, but that wasn't really the case. The Jays planned an all-out pursuit for Juan Soto, which, predictably, fell short. Max Fried seemed like a logical pivot, but Atkins failed there, too.

Instead of making a big-money signing, Atkins pulled a rabbit out of his hat by trading for Andres Gimenez seemingly out of nowhere. That deal bolstered Toronto's best strength - its defense - but did little to address what the team really needs, which is more offensive firepower. That was his big Winter Meetings move.

There's plenty of time to go in the offseason, but Jays fans are understandably running out of patience. They would've liked to have seen more when the team was in Dallas. Here are three regrets Atkins should have from his time at the Winter Meetings.

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3) Ross Atkins refuses to spend the money he has at his disposal

There's no secret that the Blue Jays have money to spend. They were in the thick of the Shohei Ohtani pursuit until he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That money was supposed to go to Soto. Unfortunately, it sounds as if the Jays weren't even close to signing the outfielder. Yes, he did clearly get overpaid, but that's how you end up signing a generational 26-year-old on a Hall of Fame track. Whether the Jays could've signed him even if they were the high bidder is unclear, but again, they weren't even close.

As if losing out on Soto wasn't bad enough, the Jays didn't even make Fried an offer despite rumors that they were incredibly interested. Sure, Fried also got more money than expected, but again, overpaying is how you land high-end talent most of the time.

For a Blue Jays team that plays in a market that some don't want to join and that is coming off a 74-win season with a future that isn't exactly the brightest, chances are, they'd have to pay a little bit more. Yet, the Jays reportedly didn't even give Fried an offer. It's one thing to bid the most and lose the player. It's another thing to get outbid and lose the player. It's another thing entirely to not even give Fried an offer. That is a slap in the face to Jays fans.

Now, it's hard to see what Atkins' plan is. The Jays want to win, yet haven't made a major move. Barring the team signing Corbin Burnes, they likely won't be adding a star to the mix. What's the path to this team improving by the 15-ish wins they'd need to make the postseason? It's hard to see one.

2) The last thing Ross Atkins should've done was trade Spencer Horwitz

A lot went wrong for the Jays this past season, obviously but their offense was among the league's worst, even with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s sensational season. The Jays ranked 23rd in runs scored, 26th in home runs, and tied for 17th in OPS in 2024. It's really hard to make the postseason with an offense that bad.

Rather than improve the offense, Atkins wound up trading one of the team's best hitters. Sure, he might've only played in 97 games, but in those games, Horwitz slashed .265/.357/.433 with 12 home runs and 40 RBI. He had a 125 OPS+, making him well above-average offensively.

Yes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the team's first baseman, and Horwitz shouldn't be playing second base, but the DH spot is wide open. Plus, the possibility that Guerrero leaves after the season is very real. Horwitz could've been an internal replacement option if that worst-case scenario event did occur.

If the Jays traded him for a proven bat, that would've been fine, but that's not at all what happened. Again, this offense needs a lot of work, and trading a young hitter who flashed solid potential in a pretty decent sample doesn't feel like the smartest decision.

1) Ross Atkins should've wanted no part of Andres Gimenez's contract

Once upon a time, Andres Gimenez looked like a budding star. He hit 17 home runs, stole 20 bases, had an .837 OPS, and was worth 7.4 bWAR in 2022. In that same season, he was named an All-Star, won a Gold Glove, and finished sixth in the AL MVP balloting. Unfortunately, he has not come close to replicating that season's production.

Gimenez has continued to be one of the best defensive infielders in the sport, as evidenced by his back-to-back Gold Glove awards, but his bat has lagged behind. He had a .712 OPS in 2023, and a .638 OPS this past season. He had a 96 OPS+ in 2023, and an 82 OPS+ in 2024.

His glove will be an asset, but the Jays are already a premier defensive team. They need offense, which is why it is not only mind-boggling that they traded Horwitz, but traded him for Gimenez.

As if that wasn't frustrating enough, Gimenez's contract is far from desirable. He's making $10.5 million this season, $15.5 million next season, and then $23.5 million in the following three seasons with a $23 million club option for 2030.

If Gimenez can hit, the contract is a steal. If he cannot, it's an albatross. Hopefully, he can find some sort of middle ground, at the very least, but with how he's swung the bat the last couple of years, it's hard to see why the Jays willingly took this contract on when he does not fix their biggest weakness.