Why pick one when you can have both? That’s the simplest thinking behind Mark Shapiro and the Toronto Blue Jays electing to hire former Indians executive Ross Atkins over Tony LaCava as the full-time general manager.
LaCava agreed to a contract extension with the Blue Jays when he was named to the job on an interim capacity one month ago, admitting that he’d be content in whatever role Shapiro eventually asked him to fill. That extension and those statements don’t come without LaCava truly being okay with a supporting assignment.
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Following the news that Atkins had been hired, LaCava was given a new role.