Blue Jays sign GM Ross Atkins to 5-year extension

The Toronto Blue Jays signed general manager Ross Atkins to a five-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.

"Simply put, Ross makes the Blue Jays better," president and CEO Mark Shapiro said, according to The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath.

"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 added.

Atkins' extension follows an impressive offseason when Toronto signed outfielder George Springer and infielder Marcus Semien, among others, to complement a budding team that made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2016.

"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.

"I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Edward Rogers and the Rogers executive team, Mark Shapiro, and the talented individuals that I am fortunate enough to work with every day," he continued. "I cannot wait to continue our pursuit to bring World Series championships back to Canada and celebrate with our fans when that day comes."

Atkins was named general manager of the Blue Jays on Dec. 3, 2015, after previously working with Shapiro for the Cleveland Indians. Toronto signed Shapiro to a five-year extension in January.