Blue Jays, Royals, Rangers, Rockies

“That certainly made an impact,” Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said of Bieber’s decision to come back. “That was one less subtraction in that area.”

I asked Atkins if there was anything that surprised the Blue Jays about Bieber as he integrated himself into the team. Atkins’ face lit up as he talked about Bieber and what he meant to the team.

“Fortunately, I felt like we knew him well because we had a couple of former Cleveland employees working for us that had worked with Shane very closely,” Atkins said. “I obviously worked there for 20-plus years and had strong ties to the organization, so we knew him as an amateur as well. We liked him as an amateur, and I didn’t think that we could like him anymore, but somehow we did. He is as professional and as good of a human being. I know we throw around that language a little bit too often, but I didn’t think he could be better than his reputation and he was.”

How Kansas City Royals May Keep Salvador Perez Fresh in 2026

Entering his 15th MLB season, Salvador Perez is continuing to build his Hall of Fame resume. However, with a two-year contract in place that ensures he is with the Royals through the 2027 season, Royals general manager J.J. Piccolo is more concerned with how his team will get the most out of the veteran catcher rather than preparing his bust for Cooperstown.

“These are these types of discussions that have been going on for a couple years. You can see we’re cutting back on number of games that he would catch in the season. He was on pace to catch 75 to 80 games this year until the trade deadline,” Piccolo said, referring to the deal the Royals made with the San Diego Padres to send catcher Freddy Fermin to the West Coast.

“It will be fluid. Generally speaking, you’re looking like 80 games caught. You know that would be an ideal number,” Piccolo continued. “We can put the point to some very objective data, saying, ‘Here’s what happens when you catch a day game. Here’s what happens when you catch four games in a row.’ Ultimately, we’ll find the right sweet spot.”