The Toronto Blue Jays' stated goal is to add, not subtract.
Asked Tuesday during the GM meetings about the potential availability of closer Ken Giles, Ross Atkins told reporters, "We've been really focused on acquiring players," according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
"We really haven't engaged on trading players away much at all," Atkins continued. "We're optimistic we'll be able to acquire (starting) pitching."
It was reported Monday that the Blue Jays would listen to offers on Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The report, however, also contained a caveat that Toronto didn't seem to be actively shopping the utility man and that the preferred return would be rotation help.
Atkins' comments come mere months after the Blue Jays used the trade deadline to offload the last remaining assets of their 2015 first-place squad, shipping Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets and Aaron Sanchez to the Houston Astros. Giles was also mentioned in rumors at the time, but an arm ailment kept the closer on the injured list.