George Springer is the latest example of the Blue Jays flexing their financial muscleGETTY IMAGES
The Blue Jays' front office led by GM Ross Atkins and President & CEO Mark Shapiro for the second year in a row has "made a huge splash," this time by signing CF George Springer to a six-year, $150M deal, according to Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca. Signing Springer is a move that will "not only change the dynamic of the AL postseason race in 2021, but the way the franchise is viewed in the all-important lens that is the 'power player' landscape." The Blue Jays "may not be the Evil Empire, but a strong player development system and a newfound ability to flex their financial muscle is both resonating with free agents and leaving the traditional AL East powerhouses with something to think about." Anyone "still doubting whether the Shapiro regime will spend Rogers’ money to win ballgames has all the proof they need, and there’s expected to be another payroll level coming next winter as the Jays are, philosophically, a year behind" the White Sox and Padres’ "all-in efforts this winter" (TSN.ca, 1/20). SPORTSNET.ca's Ben Nicholson-Smith wrote by adding Springer to an "emerging core of young players, the Blue Jays strengthen a lineup filled with talented players just now establishing themselves as major-league difference makers." Indeed, the team’s front office "landed a top-tier free agent for the second year in a row" (SPORTSNET.ca, 1/19).
ALL IN A DAY'S WORK: In Toronto, Gregor Chisholm writes after not making a move for more than two and half months, Atkins "made up for lost time by getting the bulk of his work done within 24 hours." This "marks the second consecutive year the formerly stingy front office" of Atkins and Shapiro "pulled off a major signing" after agreeing last winter to a four-year deal worth $80M with veteran P Hyun-Jin Ryu. The signing also allows Atkins and Shapiro to "fulfil their long-stated goal of adding a 'high impact' player this off-season." There was "increasing skepticism in recent weeks about the Jays [being] able to pull off a deal of this magnitude" (TORONTO STAR, 1/20). In Toronto, Rob Longley writes in what has been a "long, drawn-out off-season, it was always going to be about how it closed for the Blue Jays rather than how it started." Springer is the "big ‘get’ and immediately vaults the Jays into serious contender status" (TORONTO SUN, 1/20).
