Ross Atkins sad Anthony Santander admission means this was Blue Jays plan all along

The Toronto Blue Jays finally — finally — struck gold over the weekend, signing Anthony Santander to a five-year, $90 million contract.

It was a huge day for Ross Atkins and company, who have been trying to lure a star free agent north of the border for months. It has been a long and challenging offseason for the Blue Jays faithful, watching as their front office fumbles opportunity after opportunity. Juan Soto didn't come. Corbin Burnes didn't come. Roki Sasaki didn't come. It has been a remarkable series of whiffs.

That ends, somewhat, with the Santander signing. The Blue Jays can't idle, though. For as much as Santander brings to the lineup, he is not a guaranteed postseason ticket — not like Soto would have been, all the way back in December when Toronto was poking around the largest gold mine in recent MLB history.

Atkins still has a lot of work to do, but there's no reason he can't take time to appreciate the magnitude of the Santander signing. Paired with Jeff Hoffman's arrival, but the Blue Jays are at least starting to make stuff happen. The dam has broken. Maybe Toronto can't crack the upper echelon of free agency, but the Blue Jays are motivated enough (and financially liquid enough) to clean up that second tier of impact stars.

The latest admission from Atkins, however, does prove just how challening this offseason has been.

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Ross Atkins claims Blue Jays had Anthony Santander jersey waiting all offseason

On the surface, this is a playful anecdote and a sign of the immense respect Toronto's front office holds for Santander. To print his jersey and keep it lying in waiting is a serious show of commitment, of desire. That undoubtedly played a role in Santander's decision to ultimately sign with the Blue Jays.

When one considers the overarching context of Atkins' comment, however, it's a bit more sobering. The Blue Jays have only so much to spend. The front office and ownership are aggressive, but Toronto isn't the Dodgers. There is not unlimited financial backing. So, if there was a Santander jersey allegedly floating around the front office during the pursuits of Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes, that is perhaps a sign. A sign that Toronto knew all along how improbable the big fish were, and instead focused its energies on the more attainable options, such as Santander.

It's not a coincidence that Santander is a corner outfielder, just like Soto. The Blue Jays desperately needed a new slugger and a more dependable outfield bat. Santander checks both boxes, as Soto would have done if he wasn't so tethered to New York. He won't measure up to Soto's all-around impact, of course, but Santander hit 44 home runs last season. The Blue Jays are unquestionably better upon his arrival.

It has not been the dream offseason many in Toronto hoped for, and perhaps this pivot to Santander and the second tier of free agency was inevitable the whole time. That said, Atkins can still salvage these winter months with a single signature — that of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on his new, long-term extension.