Ross Atkins wants a starter who can pitch a playoff game, and he left the GM meetings feeling better about finding one. The Blue Jays' priorities are coming into focus.

“Coming away feeling more confident than I did four days ago. We have a good starting point,” Atkins said after the three-day summit in Las Vegas.

He added the club learned more about players “in every demographic” on both the free-agent and trade sides.

The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reported the Jays aren't just looking for depth. They want “someone who could start a playoff game.”

Toronto is set to meet with Tarik Skubal. Bannon added Freddy Peralta, Trevor Rogers and Sonny Gray as other rotation options.

What if the big names fall through? Then familiar faces come into play.

Ernie Clement is drawing trade calls as the Blue Jays chase infield help

Kevin Gausman remains a fallback. Over parts of five seasons in Toronto, he posted a 3.62 ERA with 920 strikeouts.

Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber are also reunion possibilities if the Jays need more depth.

On the infield side, Bannon reported the Jays have been receiving calls on Ernie Clement, the 2026 All-Star.

That fits the bigger picture. Toronto has checked in on Ketel Marte and is interested in free agents Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Brandon Lowe.

Chisholm hit 19 homers and stole 41 bases with the Yankees last season. Lowe crushed 35 homers for the Pirates.

A playoff-calibre starter and a power bat at second are exactly the right targets. Trading Clement only makes sense if one of those infield bats is already locked in.

The GM is like a chef finally writing the menu after weeks of shopping. The ingredients are lined up, and now he has to cook.

Confidence is nice, but results matter. With the lockout looming Dec. 1, the next two weeks will show whether Atkins' starting point turns into a finished roster.