Ross Atkins still at risk after taking one look at Blue Jays lineup with Anthony Santander

After another offseason full of misses, Ross Atkins finally got a star player to commit to the Toronto Blue Jays, inking Anthony Santander on a five-year deal. The term might've been a year or two too long for a 30-year-old slugger, but he brings what the Blue Jays lineup desperately needed - power.

Santander hit 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs this past season. He ranks sixth in the majors in home runs (105), and 13th in RBI (286) since the start of the 2022 season. He might not be an elite on-base threat, and he might not be an excellent defender, but he has established himself as one of the premier power bats in the sport, and an underrated one at that. He will absolutely help a lineup that finished 26th in home runs this past season.

Santander hitting behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gives Toronto's best player a chance to have an even better year than he did in 2024. Remember, Guerrero put up MVP-caliber numbers, particularly down the stretch, when he had virtually no protection. Having Santander behind him should give him more pitches to hit, giving him a chance to do even more damage.

With that being said, there are nine spots in a batting order. Guerrero and Santander only take up two of them. The rest of them, sans Bo Bichette (hopefully) leave a whole lot to be desired. Knowing that, Atkins must continue to address the lineup.

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Ross Atkins' job will still be at risk if he doesn't add another big bat to depleted lineup

Santander makes the lineup better, but virtually any addition would've made it better. The Jays were one of the worst power-hitting teams in the sport this past season and ranked 23rd in runs scored. They're more than just a Santander away from being an above-average lineup. That's where additions come in.

When looking at Toronto's lineup, one especially weak spot is their third base position. Ernie Clement is the projected starter, and while he had an underratedly decent season in 2024, he was still a below-league-average hitter, as evidenced by his 95 OPS+. Signing a guy like Alex Bregman, who is still a free agent, would revert Clement to a utility role which he'd thrive in, thanks to his ability to play a multitude of positions.

Giving Bregman a long-term deal would be a little uncomfortable, as was the case with Santander, and the Jays would probably not prefer to part with more draft pick compensation to sign a player with the qualifying offer attached, but do the Jays really have another choice?

Even with Santander, this is not a playoff-caliber lineup. Adding a player like Bregman gives Toronto a potential quartet of Bichette, Guerrero, Santander, and Bregman. However you want to line them up, that's a tough group of four hitters for any pitcher to go through. Adding in a healthy Daulton Varsho down the line and potential bouncebacks from guys like Alejandro Kirk, Andres Gimenez, and even George Springer, and suddenly, the Jays have the makings of a team that can easily find itself in the playoff race.

Santander was a good start, but this Jays team won 74 games in 2024. Adding a player like Bregman or even Pete Alonso on top of Santander would really begin to salvage what was looking like a lost offseason for Toronto, and based on how the team performs, potentially give Atkins a chance to stick around a little while longer.

Santander's contract was heavily deferred. There's no reason to structure a deal like that if the Jays were done spending. Hopefully, more moves are coming for a fan base that needs to see more from its general manager.