Trying to compete for a playoff spot and trying to win a championship are two different animals. A guy who builds his own business and a guy who buys a handful of scratch lottery tickets are both trying to get rich. Statistically, the first guy has better odds, unless he opened a restaurant.
Perhaps this team is only a few pieces away from serious contention, but there are no surpluses available to acquire those pieces, and the assets they have now are depreciating in value. A fire sale and a few consecutive years of tanking would improve their chances of winning later in this decade, but it would also reduce ticket sales and TV viewers, and team payroll would necessarily be reduced. Rogers won't outspend the Dodgers, Mets and Yankees, the best free agents want to play on a grass field, and there are no superstars in waiting on the farm.