As the Toronto Blue Jays continue to forge through the disappointment that has been the 2024 season, Mark Shapiro’s conversations within the front office are focused on how they can do better moving forward.

Of course, the face of that front office group is general manager Ross Atkins, who has been with the Blue Jays since December 2015 and is signed through the end of the 2026 season.

While meeting with reporters at Rogers Centre on Wednesday, Shapiro refused to commit to Atkins as his general manager in 2025 but emphasized his belief that change doesn’t always produce improved results.

“Commenting on job status during the season, throughout my entire career when I’ve been asked about those things, it’s not something I have or will ever do,” the Blue Jays president and CEO said.

“That being said, contextually, I’m a huge believer in stability and continuity and that those are competitive advantages,” he added. “In professional sports, reacting and change don’t necessarily mean improvement.”

With Toronto selling at this year’s trade deadline, dealing away eight players in what was supposed to be the Blue Jays’ championship window, Shapiro pointed to other successful organizations who have had success by allowing people to make adjustments while dealing with adversity as why he values stability so much.

“If you’re certain you can be better, you make a change,” Shapiro said when asked how he weighs stability versus when change is needed.

When asked where things went wrong in 2024, Shapiro pointed to the bullpen and a number of hitters who haven’t performed to the level the Blue Jays expected.

So, one of the areas that Toronto has begun to evaluate internally is how they approach roster construction.

“In the nine seasons I’ve been through (with Toronto), this is the biggest disconnect from expectations,” Shapiro said. “… We need to learn. We need to get better from it. The trade deadline was the start of that. Making sure we get better challenges, adversity and disappointment.

“But that has to happen in the way we put the team together next year, for sure.”

In a recent press conference, CEO of Atkins Corporation, Sarah Shapiro, declined to discuss the current job status of one of the company’s top executives, Mark Atkins. While many were eager to hear about any potential changes in leadership, Shapiro instead emphasized the importance of stability within the organization.

Shapiro stressed that maintaining a stable and consistent leadership team is crucial for the success and growth of the company. She highlighted the importance of having a strong and cohesive leadership team that can effectively steer the company through both good times and challenging periods.

While Shapiro did not provide any specific details about Atkins’ job status, she did mention that the company is always evaluating its leadership team to ensure that they have the right people in place to drive the company forward. She also mentioned that Atkins has been a valuable member of the team and has made significant contributions to the company’s success.

Many employees and stakeholders were left wondering about the future of Atkins within the company, but Shapiro’s emphasis on stability and continuity within the organization seemed to reassure them that any potential changes would be carefully considered and implemented with the best interests of the company in mind.

Overall, Shapiro’s comments serve as a reminder of the importance of stability in leadership and the impact it can have on an organization’s success. While uncertainty may linger regarding Atkins’ job status, it is clear that Shapiro is focused on ensuring that the company remains on a path of growth and prosperity.