Blue Jays Discussing Extension With Manager John Schneider

"The Blue Jays have had conversations with manager John Schneider about a contract extension, GM Ross Atkins confirmed at today's end-of-season press conference (relayed by Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). It seems likely that'll get done at some point this offseason. For the moment, Atkins confirmed that the Jays have officially exercised their 2026 option on Schneider's contract. Schneider took over the position on an interim basis when Charlie Montoyo was fired halfway through the 2022 season."

"As is the case with any manager, Schneider has made some decisions that came under fire with the fanbase. His handling of the pitching staff during the 2023 Wild Card series loss to the Twins was heavily criticized. One can quibble with how aggressively he pinch ran for many of his best hitters in Game 3 of this year's World Series, which left the Jays with a mostly punchless lineup in a game that went 18 innings."

"The Jays weren't going to make a managerial change on the heels of an American League title. It was a formality that they'd exercise the option and entirely expected they'd open talks on a multi-year deal. Most teams prefer not to have their managers or top front office personnel working on expiring contracts. That's especially true when the manager led the team tantalizingly close to a championship."

Ross Atkins confirmed the Blue Jays exercised their 2026 option on manager John Schneider and have begun contract-extension talks. Schneider became interim manager after Charlie Montoyo's mid-2022 firing, then signed a three-year deal with an option; the guaranteed portion expired this season. The organization opted not to change managers after an American League title and views the option exercise as a formality while pursuing a multi-year agreement. Schneider's tenure includes just over a 54% regular-season win rate, two postseason appearances, an American League championship, a close clubhouse, and some controversial in-game decisions that drew fan criticism.

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