Blue Jays name John Schneider full-time manager, sign him to extension

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are casting forward with John Schneider as their manager, removing the interim tag from his title and rewarding him with a three-year contract that includes a club option for the 2026 season.

Schneider, 42, replaced the fired Charlie Montoyo on July 13 and led the team to a 46-28 finish that secured the top wild-card spot. The Blue Jays were then swept by the Seattle Mariners in the wild-card round, blowing a seven-run lead in a 10-9, Game 2 loss.

The setback led to much public second-guessing of Schneider’s decision-making during the stunning defeat, which was consistent with and emblematic of the Blue Jays’ wider processes. His ability to buffer between the front office, coaching staff and clubhouse helped set the foundation for the club’s mid-season turnaround and notable is that after the Game 2 loss, he said that he wanted his players to “remember how they came together as a group over the last month or so.”

Later, the former catcher — selected by the Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2002 draft — added that “if you start the season that way, that's when great things happen.”

Schneider began coaching in the Blue Jays system in 2008 and steadily worked his way up the ladder. Along the way, he managed a sizable portion of the current big-league roster, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cavan Biggio, Danny Jansen, Jordan Romano, Santiago Espinal and Tim Mayza.

He joined Montoyo’s staff in 2019 as a coach focused on catching and took over as bench coach this year after essentially serving in the role during 2021.

“Through his exceptional preparation, communication, positive energy, and relationships within the clubhouse, John demonstrated to us that he was the right leader for this team,” GM Ross Atkins said in a statement. “His passion for the game, commitment to the job, and impact in the dugout have been driving forces behind our success.”