EXCLUSIVE: Blue Jays To Sign Manager To 3-Year Deal

News on the Toronto Blue Jays' managerial front, as our colleague Shane Seney of BaseballRumors.me is reporting that Toronto will be removing the "interim" tag and re-signing John Schneider to a three-year deal to stay on as manager. 

The Blue Jays didn't last very long in the postseason in 2022, but after struggling to stay above water for the first half of the regular season, Schneider took over from the deposed Charlie Montoyo and led the team to an impressive 46-28 record as interim manager to secure the top Wild Card spot in the American League. That's a 101-win pace over a full season.

GM Ross Atkins spoke glowingly of the job Schneider did just last week.

"I think it will be very difficult for us to find better than John Schneider." - Jays GM Ross Atkins

Should the #BlueJays keep interim manager John Schneider? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/HyMDQP09Uw

— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) October 11, 2022

"I think it will be very difficult for us to find better than John Schneider," said Atkins. "With (him), I feel very confident about the job that he has done." 

The 42-year-old Schneider has been in the Blue Jays organization for essentially his entire professional baseball career. He was drafted in 2002 in the 13th round as a catcher and made it as high as Triple-A. 

He retired as a player in 2007, however, after suffering from a number of concussions. In 2008 he began coaching in the Jays' system, starting in Rookie League and working his way up. He reached a zenith in 2018 when he managed the New Hampshire Fisher Cats to the Double-A Eastern League championship. That team featured a roster that's now the core of the current Blue Jays including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Santiago Espinal, Cavan Biggio, and Jordan Romano. 

The Jays' front office is hoping that over the next three years Schnieder will be able to replicate that feat with this team at the big league level. 

Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports