No general manager entered the 2025 campaign with a hotter seat than Ross Atkins of the Toronto Blue Jays. He had been around since the 2015 offseason, giving him almost a decade with almost nothing to show for it, and the 2024 Blue Jays were one of the most disappointing teams in the league.
This past offseason wasn't even all that great, as the Jays missed out on guys like Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki, and the moves he did make, like signing Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer and Jeff Hoffman, haven't aged well. In spite of all that's gone wrong, the 2025 season has changed the narrative around Atkins' entire Blue Jays tenure.
Not only did the Jays win the AL East division for the first time in Atkins' tenure, but they were the American League's No. 1 seed, giving them a first-round bye and guaranteed home-field advantage through the ALCS. Their first postseason test was a tough one, as the New York Yankees, the team that finished with the same record as Toronto, came to town. Well, the Jays won in blowout fashion on Saturday, and followed that up with an even more impressive showing on Sunday.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the face of his franchise, had the signature moment.
VLADDY SLAM!!!!!!!!#ALDS pic.twitter.com/tOchTWRUOa
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2025
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signature moment has guaranteed Ross Atkins job security
The Blue Jays having the season they did was impressive, but for Atkins to truly be vindicated, he needed his team to show up in October. The Jays had just two postseason series wins under their belt in Atkins' tenure, with both of them coming in 2016 with a roster Alex Anthopoulos mostly built.
The Jays got swept in the Wild Card Series in 2020, 2022 and 2023, and while they got a bye, losing in embarrassing fashion in the ALDS wouldn't have looked good, particularly against an AL East rival. Not only are the Jays not getting embarrassed, but they're embarrassing the mighty Yankees.
Whether they win the World Series or not, Atkins' team has proven enough this season to the point where his seat should be ice cold. The Jays are good right now, and have the makings of being good in the future too, as we saw on Sunday. Guerrero, of course, is at the center of that.
Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. paid off with one big swing
Guerrero, the player, was worth the $500 million given the player he is and his age, but he had done next to nothing in his postseason career entering this October. Well, that's changed in a hurry. He went 3-for-4 with a home run in Game 1, and followed that up by hitting the back-breaking Grand Slam in Game 2.
Giving anyone $500 million is a risk, especially when that player hasn't done anything in October. Now that Guerrero has shown he can be a superstar in the postseason, that contract looks mighty fine. Atkins had no choice but to get that deal done, and Guerrero looking good when it matters most only makes Atkins look better.
The 2025 Blue Jays are special, and Atkins and Guerrero are the biggest reasons why.