What was Ross thinking? Local writer calls for GM's firing, other baseball people express disbelief

After seemingly taking on an $11MM contract for a minor league player in hopes of getting Roki Sasaki, Atkins' financial gambit most certainly did not pay off. For Toronto baseball writer Mike Wilner, that financial screw-up should be the last straw. He goes so far as to call it a fireable offence. He's not the only one.

While others haven't been quite so strong as Wilner, the sentiments are the same. Toronto Star contributor and former Blue Jays beat writer Gregor Chisholm opined that the trade makes zero sense unless there was a guarantee from the Sasaki camp. Rival executives have called the move desperate, bewildering, and irresponsible.

The most common question asked about the move is "What the hell was he thinking?" and has the potential to go down as the word transaction in franchise history.

The Blue Jays have now become a punchline and source of derision among fans, media, and even other teams. And while Atkins and the Blue Jays are saving face by saying that Myles Straw will be a contributing member to the team (most likely as a fill in for Daulton Varsho), when one becomes the scorn of local, national, and in this case, international attention, then it may force Mark Shapiro and Rogers' hands.

As of right now, Ross Atkins job is safe, but the embarrassments are piling up.