TORONTO — John Schneider is a Blue Jays lifer, drafted 23 years ago by this organization. He’s not going anywhere.
The Blue Jays have picked up Schneider’s option for the 2026 season, GM Ross Atkins said Thursday at his end-of-season press conference in Toronto. It’s well deserved for the 45-year-old, who helped lead a turnaround from a 74-win team a year ago to the top seed in the American League this season, going 94-68.
This could just be the start, too.
“He and I are talking about the potential of that being longer,” Atkins said of Schneider’s 2026 option. “Schneids has been unbelievable. He is a clear leader in this organization who is really, really good at his job and I’m very proud to be working with him.”
A finalist for the AL Manager of the Year Award, which will be announced during a special on MLB Network on Tuesday beginning at 7 p.m. ET, Schneider embodies what growth and development can look like in the dugout, not just on the field.
Coming into 2025, Schneider had a stated goal to “let it rip” and embrace who he was as a manager, which was challenging at times in his early days given all of the attention and expectations put on the modern manager. This isn’t just about writing out lineup cards. There are more coaches each season, it seems, along with a complicated roster of personalities and needs. Then comes the media, and Schneider may spend more time as the “face of the Blue Jays” in that regard than any other manager in baseball.
Schneider’s comfort level was noticeable this year, though, and it was felt by his players.
“He’s awesome. He has our back. He’s everything you want in a man leading the charge,” said Ernie Clement. “He’s done a hell of a job. We would not be here without him. He takes the blame when things don’t go right, but he doesn’t get nearly enough credit when things do go right. He’s been awesome. We’re lucky to have him.”
Ever since Atkins and president and CEO Mark Shapiro arrived from the Guardians to take over the Blue Jays’ front office, they’ve spoken of the value of continuity. It’s taken some time, but they’ve finally been vindicated by the Blue Jays’ run to Game 7 of the World Series against the Dodgers. The Blue Jays feel like one of the new “model teams” in Major League Baseball, a fantastic image of what it looks like when all of the right pieces come together and a testament to the value of a strong clubhouse.
That clubhouse chemistry, which built the “toughness and togetherness” Shapiro is so proud of, begins with the players and belongs to the players. Those players were empowered by Schneider and his coaching staff, though, and in 2025 more than ever before, it felt like this entire organization was on the exact same page. Schneider loves to deflect the credit, but he deserves his share.
“He keeps getting better,” Shapiro said. “That’s a pretty good sign for leaders, right? When they continue to stay open-minded, learn and get better, he’s certainly put himself among the top group of managers in the game. He led us through some tough moments this year and led us to some great moments. He continues to be a factor and makes us better.”
Now, Schneider will enter 2026 with towering expectations. He’s expected to do it with a new bench coach alongside him, too, after the legend Don Mattingly chose to step away from the Blue Jays after three seasons. Schneider has often told stories of having Mattingly’s posters on his wall as a kid, so these years together with the former Yankees great have left an important mark on his career.
Schneider has proven the ability to grow, though, and the Blue Jays are expected to continue banking on him beyond 2026. With their franchise player locked up in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a newfound franchise identity from their World Series run, it feels like the Blue Jays have also found their franchise manager.
