The Toronto Blue Jays are on the come up. After a surprise playoff appearance during the COVID-ravaged 2020 season and a strong 92-win season in 2021 (despite missing the playoffs), they made the postseason once more in 2022, only falling short to the Seattle Mariners in the AL Wild Card Series. With players such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and George Springer on the roster, there's no reason to expect them to drop off anytime soon.

Now, the Blue Jays are trying to add even more brainpower to their backroom staff as they try to win the franchise's third World Series trophy. On Monday, the Blue Jays announced the hiring of former Houston Astros General Manager James Click. Click will not be assuming general managerial duties; instead, he will be the Blue Jays' vice president of baseball strategy.

In the press release, the Blue Jays gave a description of Click's responsibilities in the team. His duties include “working closely with General Manager Ross Atkins and department heads on strategic planning, decision making, and evaluation.” Click will also “work across both professional and amateur levels to identify best practices, develop plans, and implement strategies.”

You can read the full release below, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.

Article Continues Below

James Click worked with the Astros from 2020-2022, acting as the chief architect of the World Series-winning 2022 team. The 2021 and 2020 iterations of the Astros were no slouches either; the former made the World Series, losing to the Atlanta Braves, and the 2020 team fell short in the American League Championship Series against the eventual runner-up Tampa Bay Rays.

Click's contract with the Astros expired in 2022, and the 45-year old executive rejected Houston's contract extension offer. As a result, the Astros hired Dana Brown to replace Click as the reigning World Series champions' new general manager.