Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider, left, talks with Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins, right, as players work out during spring training in Dunedin Fla., on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

By The Canadian Press

Toronto Blue Jays extend general manager Ross Atkins, manager John Schneider

Mar 23, 2026 | 5:31 AM

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays locked in their leadership group Monday with extensions for Ross Atkins and John Schneider.

Atkins’ five-year deal runs through 2031, while Schneider’s covers 2028.

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 as manager 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.

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“Schneids has been, and will continue to be, an exceptional leader and manager in professional baseball because of his unwavering commitment to players,” said Atkins.

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, a native of Princeton, N.J., has spent more than two decades with the organization after being drafted by Toronto in 2002 and later 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,” said Schneider. “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.

He succeeded Tony LaCava in the position. LaCava held the GM role on an interim basis after the departure of Alex Anthopoulos in the fall of 2015.

The Blue Jays reached the post-season 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.

“Ross has done an outstanding job in building a deep foundation with an accomplished Baseball Operations team, best-in-class resources, and a collaborative culture,” said Mark Shapiro, Toronto’s president and CEO. “I am a strong supporter of stability and continuity, and Ross continues to make us better.”

Shapiro signed a five-year contract extension in December 2025, keeping him with the club through the 2030 season.

Atkins helped secure franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, US$500-million extension in April 2025, one of the richest deals in team history.

The Blue Jays added pitchers Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce, along with third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, in a series of high-profile moves this off-season.

The club did lose star shortstop Bo Bichette in free agency in January after he signed a three-year, $126-million contract with the New York Mets.

Atkins, a former pitcher, was drafted by Cleveland in 1995 and spent his entire pro playing career with that organization. After five seasons in the minor leagues, he started working with the team’s pitching prospects before becoming assistant farm director in 2001.

He worked as Cleveland’s director of Latin American operations for three years and ran the farm system from 2007-’14.

The Blue Jays open their regular season Friday against the Athletics at Rogers Centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2026.

The Canadian Press