John Schneider, the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, secured the second spot in the American League manager of the year voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, coming in behind Stephen Vogt of Cleveland. Under Schneider’s leadership, the Blue Jays had an impressive 94-win season and clinched the American League East Division title. In the recent announcement of the results, Schneider garnered 10 first-place votes out of 30 and a total of 91 points.
On the other hand, Vogt, who guided the Guardians to the AL Central crown, received 17 first-place votes and 113 points. The Seattle Mariners’ Dan Wilson was also in contention, earning two first-place votes and 50 points. Vogt’s win marked his second consecutive year receiving the award, while Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers also clinched a repeat victory in the National League category.
The Blue Jays, managed by Schneider, notably improved this season by winning 20 more games compared to their previous last-place finish in 2024. The team went on to secure two playoff rounds before ultimately losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
It is worth mentioning that the voting ballots were submitted before the commencement of the post-season matches. Bobby Cox remains the sole Blue Jays manager to have previously won the award back in 1985. Schneider’s runner-up position marks the highest achievement for a Toronto skipper since Cito Gaston’s second-place finish in 1989 behind Frank Robinson of Baltimore.
Having taken over as the Blue Jays manager in July 2022 from Charlie Montoyo, Schneider’s contract had the 2026 option year recently activated. Discussions for a contract extension were underway, as confirmed by general manager Ross Atkins during a media session at the end of the season. Atkins praised Schneider as a key leader within the organization, emphasizing his exceptional skills and expressing pride in their collaboration.
Schneider, a native of Princeton, N.J. at the age of 45, played a crucial role in guiding the Blue Jays to the wild-card series in his first season as manager. Despite initial setbacks in subsequent seasons, the team made a remarkable comeback in 2025, securing the East title through a tiebreaker victory over New York.
The Blue Jays went on to win the AL Division Series against the Yankees and triumphed over the Mariners in the AL Championship Series. The team faced a close defeat in the World Series against the Dodgers in an intense 11-inning game that ended with a 5-4 score.
With over two decades of experience with the Toronto franchise, Schneider’s journey began when he was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 13th round of the 2002 draft. After retiring as a player in 2007, he joined the team as a catching instructor and eventually progressed to manage various levels within the minor-league system.
Notably, Schneider earned the title of Eastern League manager of the year in 2018 while leading the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to a championship victory. His dedication and expertise led to promotions within the organization, culminating in his appointment as the 14th manager of the Blue Jays since the franchise’s inception in 1977.