The Toronto Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins is questionable whether he is a good GM or a bad GM.  Toronto fans may see him as a bad GM but compared to other GMs in the MLB he is okay. He had made multiple great transactions and bad ones. In the 2023-2024 offseason, he has already put a spark in the MLB news by being one of the favorite teams to land Two-Way superstar Shohei Ohtani who is a ROY, a 3x All-Star, a 2x Silver Slugger, a 2x MVP, and a ML PoY (TSN Major League Player of the Year). Ross Atkins has also made some amazing moves in the past years like the 2021 AL Cy Young Winner Robbie Ray, 2021 MVP Finalist Marcus Semien, AL Cy Young finalist Kevin Gausman, and 2017 World Series MVP George Springer. Of course, many other great players had a big tribute to the Blue Jays. 

There have also been multiple times where Atkins has given up the wrong players and has got the wrong players. In the 2022- 2023 offseason, Ross Atkins gave up their number one prospect and one of their top players. The trade was to the Arizona Diamondbacks, The Blue Jays acquired OF Daulton Varsho, The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired C Gaberiel Moreno who was their number 1 prospect, and  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The Trade seemed good at the time but when the season came it didn't look well for the Blue Jays. Dualton Varsho was one of the best defenders in the league but finished off Batting .220/.389/.674 (Batting Average/ Slugging/ OPS). Gurriel Jr and Moreno contributed to the Diamondbacks season and in the run in the World Series.  

Ross Atkins's game-time decisions were awful, in the 2023 Game 2 of the Wild Card Series he decided to take out starting pitcher Jose Berrios in 3.1 Innings. Berrios had 5 strikeouts and had only given up 3 hits. John Schnieder the Blue Jays Manager made the move to take him out. But many speculated that it came from Atkins. In the interview after the game, Schnieder was asked why he decided to pull Berrios, and manager John Schnieder replied “He had electric stuff, Tough to take him out. But I think with the way they’re constructed, you want to utilize your whole roster. It didn't work out.”  Lots of Blue Jays fans were mad and confused about the decision from the manager.  A few days later the press interviewed Ross Atkins about the decision and said it was “very courageous.” After  Atkins was interviewed there was heavy speculation that it came “from above,” meaning that the move came from Atkins and the front office.  After the word came out fans were not happy about it as it was the second year in a row that they got swept in the Wild Card Series. 

The Blue Jays had six players going into free agency; Matt Chapman, Whit Merrifield, Kevin Kiermier, Jordan Hicks, Brandon Belt, Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ross Atkins offered Matt Chapman a contract but he declined and let all the other players go. Ross Atkins resigned Kevin Kiermier on December 28, 2023. The Blue Jays needed an outfielder. Other superstar outfielders are free agents like; Cody Bellinger, Jorge Soler,  Joc Pederson, and J.D. Martinez. Some fans were happy about this signing as Kiermier was a fan favorite last season, others were not so much as Bellinger is still a free agent who would be a better signing target for the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays still have the 3rd Base position open so they went out and got Isaiah Kiner- Falefa he is a utility player and is an amazing defensive player, but not so much on the offensive side as he hit .242 last season with 37 RBIs, 39 runs, 14 stolen bases and six home runs for the New York Yankees. Atkins said KIner-Falefa's defensive ability, versatility, and baserunning made him an attractive signing for the Blue Jays. Fans were unhappy about this, as he was one of the worst offensive players in the MLB having a 0.1 WAR. The fans were mad at Atkins for getting another Defensive player and not a better offensive player. 

The Blue Jays have two superstars entering free agency in a couple of years. Bo Bichette will be a UFA in 2025 and Vladimir Guerrero Jr who will be a UFA in 2026. Fans want a contract extension for both of them as they are the team's future. Bo Bichette was an all-star in 21 and 23 and has been the Blue Jays best player batting over .300 the past 3 seasons. Vladimir Guerrero JR who has been an all-star in 21,22, and 23 and won the AS MVP in the 2021 all-star game, he was also placed second in MVP and was a Silver Slugger. It would be a great idea for Atkins to resign them both for the long term.

Ross Atkins is a good General Manager, not a bad general manager but not a great one. He has made some transactions that have done no good to the team and where that may have made them miss their chances. Then some transactions where it has benefited the team. To give Ross Atkins a rating out of 10, I would give 6/10 as he is not a terrible GM and I think most Blue Jay fans will agree with me.