Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins has signed a five-year contract extension with the club, the team announced Wednesday.
The move comes three months after president Mark Shapiro also signed a five-year extension with the Blue Jays.
Atkins was hired by the Blue Jays in December 2015 after spending 15 seasons in Cleveland’s front office.
The Blue Jays have made the playoffs twice in five years (2016, 2020) under Atkins.
The 47-year-old Atkins is the seventh GM in franchise history.
The extension positions Atkins to become the second most tenured general manager in Blue Jays history.
Hall of Famer Pat Gillick led the team during an 18-year run that included a pair of World Series titles, J.P. Ricciardi ran the team for eight seasons (2002-09), Gord Ash seven (1995-2001), and Alex Anthopoulos six (2010-2015).
The Blue Jays are off to a 3-2 start this year.
“Coming to Toronto with my family has enriched our lives in countless ways and having the opportunity to remain a Blue Jay is something I do not take for granted,” Atkins said in a statement.
Shapiro praised Atkins for his work.
“Simply put, Ross makes the Blue Jays better. I am extremely pleased that he will continue leading our baseball operations group during this exciting era for our players, staff, and most importantly, our fans, as we move closer to building a sustainable championship contender for years to come,” Shapiro said.
Should Shapiro complete his current contract, he’ll become the team’s second-most tenured president behind Paul Beeston, and at 10 years have the longest consecutive run.
With files from Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi
