Toronto Blue Jays extend manager John Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins
TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays locked in their leadership group Monday by extending manager John Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins. Schneider's new deal runs through 2028, while Atkins' covers 2031. The moves follow Toronto’s 94-win season, American League East title and a seven-game World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last year.
Schneider, 46, has a 303-257 record since taking over in July 2022 and was runner-up for American League manager of the year last season. He is entering his fourth full season as skipper after the Blue Jays picked up his 2026 option last season. “Schneids has been, and will continue to be, an exceptional leader and manager in professional baseball because of his unwavering commitment to players,” Atkins said.
Schneider is the 14th manager in franchise history and succeeded Charlie Montoyo in July 2022, helping guide Toronto to a wild-card berth that season. The Blue Jays were swept in the wild-card round in 2022 by Seattle and again in 2023 by Minnesota before slipping to a 74-win season in 2024. Toronto rebounded in 2025, securing the division title on the final day of the regular season and advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1993.
Schneider, who is from Princeton, New Jersey, has spent more than two decades with the organization after being drafted by Toronto in 2002 and working his way through the minor league system. “I am ecstatic to continue leading the Blue Jays as we work to bring our incredible fans a championship team,” Schneider said. “It’s been a privilege to be part of this organization for nearly 25 years, and the work the Blue Jays continue to do excites me every day.
” Atkins, 52, was hired in December 2015 and is the second-longest tenured general manager in franchise history. The Blue Jays reached the postseason five times under his leadership but won playoff games only in 2016 before last year’s run. Toronto struggled through a rebuild that bottomed out in 2018 and 2019 before returning to contention during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.