Blue Jays brass feels team is in 'very healthy state' going forward after playoff collapse

Just a few days after an epic Game 2 collapse knocked his team out of the playoffs, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said the emotions from the loss "were difficult" for everyone involved.

The Blue Jays had World Series aspirations but instead exited the post-season without recording a single victory, falling in two straight games to the visiting Seattle Mariners.

"We sat in here five days ago and felt very good about us making a deep run and were confident that we had the team to do it, and we didn't," Atkins said Tuesday during a media availability at Rogers Centre.

"So that was a disappointing outcome for us on Saturday."

WATCH | Jays fans look ahead to future:

After a shutout loss in Friday's Game 1, the Blue Jays built an 8-1 lead after five innings in Game 2. Seattle used a pair of four-run frames to pull even and added the go-ahead run in the ninth for a stunning 10-9 win.

The Mariners advanced to play the Houston Astros in the American League Division Series. The Blue Jays were left to search for positives and look ahead to next season.

The team roster is in good shape with a strong young core and most key players under contract. The Blue Jays will likely be in position to spend in the off-season if needed.

One front-burner issue is determining whether John Schneider will have the interim tag removed from his manager title. The 92-win Blue Jays went 46-28 after he replaced Charlie Montoyo in July.

Canada's lone big-league team did return to the playoffs this year after coming just short in 2021. Toronto went 22-11 down the stretch but inconsistency — an issue that plagued the team all season - returned when it mattered most.

Seattle became the third team in Major League Baseball history to come back from a