2025 is a make-or-break season for the Toronto Blue Jays

I am, of course, talking about General Manager Ross Atkins. The fans favourite scapegoat and punching bag is also entering the last year of his contract.

And while fans have been calling for his firing for what feels like forever, calls which are growing louder in light of the failed negotiations with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., if the 2025 season goes as well as 2024 did, Blue Jays fans might get their lasting wish.

In spite of Atkins' and President Mark Shapiro's success running the Blue Jays over the last decade, the failure to win a single playoff game in their last three appearances, as well as seemingly being a bridesmaid to every free agent, the perception is that Akins and Shapiro can't get anything done.

And while that's both an incorrect and unfair accusation being levelled at the Blue Jays front office, at some point, something has to give.

In a way, it almost won't matter how the season plays out. Even though Vladdy could still re-sign next offseason - and still wants to - anything less than Ross Atkins being fired and banned permanently from Canada and 2025 will be considered a failure.

Ditto for Mark Shapiro. While Shapiro is technically above Atkins, the two work very closely together. It's hard to see how one survives while the other doesn't. But anything can happen.

If Vladdy does re-sign in October or November then all will be forgiven. Until then, it''s going to be a long, long season.