Blue Jays sign Schneider, Atkins to extensions

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed manager John Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins to contract extensions. Photos: Toronto Blue Jays

March 23, 2026

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed manager John Schneider and general manager Ross Atkins to contract extensions.

The club made the announcement early Monday morning.

Schneider, who’s entering his fifth season as Blue Jays’ bench boss, has received a two-year extension through 2028, while Atkins, who has been with the club since December 2015, was rewarded with a five-year extension through the 2031 campaign.

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro had his contract extended through the 2030 season in December.

In parts of five seasons as the Blue Jays manager, Schneider has led the team to a 303-257 record and their first American League pennant since 1993 in 2025. The Blue Jays fell one win short of a World Series championship last season.

"Schneids understands what it takes to build a winning environment and works tirelessly to create exactly that,” said Atkins in a statement issued by the team. “His blend of emotional intelligence and deep baseball knowledge truly sets him apart in an incredibly competitive industry. His constant drive to improve shows in the preparation he brings each day, and we look forward to his continued leadership.”

A former catcher in the Blue Jays’ organization, Schneider started managing in the club’s system in 2009. He spent three seasons as the dugout boss of the class-A Vancouver Canadians before being promoted to the big league staff.

Schneider also guided the Blue Jays to playoff berths in 2022 and 2023. In each of those seasons, they were swept in a Wild-Card Series.

"I am ecstatic to continue leading the Blue Jays as we work to bring our incredible fans a championship team. 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," Schneider said in a team statement on Monday.

Atkins came to the Blue Jays, along with Shapiro, from the Cleveland Guardians organization. During his 10 seasons as Blue Jays GM, the team has a 777-741 record and has advanced to the postseason five times.

"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. I am a strong supporter of stability and continuity, and Ross continues to make us better," Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement provided by the team.

"It’s easy for me to believe in Ross, as I’ve seen him transition from player to young front-office executive to established MLB executive, and I am extremely confident his leadership will help us achieve our collective goal of bringing World Series championships back to Canada."