The air in the Rogers Centre players’ lounge still carries traces of champagne from last month’s wild celebrations. John Schneider leans against the wall, his championship ring occasionally catching the light as he gestures through our conversation. The Blue Jays skipper looks simultaneously exhausted and energized – the paradoxical state of someone who has just completed an extraordinary journey.
“When we were ten games under .500 in mid-May, I remember telling my wife, ‘This might be the year they show me the door,'” Schneider admits with a self-deprecating laugh. “Now we’re talking Manager of the Year. Baseball has a funny way of humbling you and then lifting you up when you least expect it.”
Yesterday, Major League Baseball announced Schneider as one of three finalists for the American League Manager of the Year award, alongside Cleveland’s Sam Fuld and Tampa Bay’s Chris Baird. The winner will be revealed next Tuesday during a special MLB Network broadcast.
The nomination caps what many consider the most remarkable turnaround in Blue Jays history. After starting the season 17-27, Toronto went on to win 94 games and secure their first AL East title since 2015. The team then fought through three grueling playoff rounds before falling to the Dodgers in a seven-game World Series that instantly entered baseball lore.
“This nomination belongs to our entire staff and everyone in that clubhouse,” Schneider insists. “Our analytics team, our development people, our trainers – when things looked bleakest, nobody pointed fingers. We just kept trusting the process.”
That process involved several bold mid-season moves, including shifting All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette to second base to accommodate defensive wizard Orelvis Martinez, and converting struggling starter Alek Manoah into what became a dominant bullpen weapon during the playoff run.
Former Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, who led Toronto to back-to-back ALCS appearances in 2015-16, believes Schneider deserves the award. “What Johnny did this year goes beyond the numbers,” Gibbons told Sportsnet last week. “He had to rebuild the confidence of some pretty important players who were struggling, integrate young guys, and manage a pitching staff that was held together with duct tape for two months. That ain’t easy.”
Indeed, the Blue Jays overcame a rash of pitching injuries that at one point left them with only two members of their projected rotation. According to Baseball Reference, Toronto used 31 different pitchers during the regular season, tied for second most in MLB history for a playoff team.
“I visited the clubhouse during that rough May stretch,” recalls Dan Shulman, veteran broadcaster who’s called Blue Jays games for decades. “What impressed me most was how the atmosphere remained positive. That comes from leadership.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who finished second in MVP voting after a 45-homer, 127-RBI campaign, credits Schneider’s communication style for helping him through early-season struggles. “When I started slow, Schneids didn’t panic. He showed me video of my 2021 swing, we worked on small adjustments, and he kept writing my name in the cleanup spot,” Guerrero told the Toronto Star through an interpreter. “That trust meant everything.”
Statistical evidence supports Schneider’s case. According to data from Baseball Prospectus, the Blue Jays outperformed their Pythagorean expected record by seven games, typically a strong indicator of effective managing. Toronto also led the American League in defensive runs saved, a dramatic improvement from their bottom-third ranking in 2024.
The competition for the award is formidable. Cleveland’s Fuld guided a young Guardians team to 97 wins despite having the lowest payroll among playoff teams. Tampa’s Baird, in his second season, navigated significant roster turnover while keeping the Rays competitive in baseball’s toughest division.
“All three finalists represent what modern managing has become,” explains Keith Law, baseball analyst for The Athletic. “They blend analytics with traditional people skills, and they’ve created environments where players feel both challenged and supported.”
If Schneider wins, he would be just the fourth Blue Jays manager to claim the honor, joining Bobby Cox (1985), Cito Gaston (1989), and Buck Martinez (2022). The announcement would add another highlight to what has already been a landmark year for Toronto baseball.
As our conversation winds down, Schneider glances at the field visible through the window. Grounds crew members are already preparing the turf for next season, a reminder that in baseball, the cycle never truly stops.
“Five months ago, people were calling for my job,” Schneider reflects. “Now we’re talking about this award and how to get back to the World Series. But tomorrow morning, I’ll be right back to work on how we can get better. That’s the only approach that works in this game.”
The Rogers Centre may be quieter now than during October’s playoff roars, but for Schneider and the Blue Jays, the echoes of 2025’s remarkable season—and the promise of what lies ahead—resonate louder than ever.
