John Schneider, the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, clinched the second spot in the American League Manager of the Year voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, with Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt securing the top spot. Schneider steered the Blue Jays to a successful season, capturing 94 wins and the American League East Division title. The voting results, revealed on Tuesday night, showed Schneider receiving 10 out of 30 first-place votes and accumulating a total of 91 points.
Vogt, who guided the Guardians to the AL Central championship, garnered 17 first-place votes and 113 points. Dan Wilson from the Seattle Mariners was the other contender with two first-place votes and 50 points. Vogt’s back-to-back win marked his second consecutive triumph, while Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers also retained the National League accolade.
Under Schneider’s leadership, the Blue Jays significantly improved, securing 20 more wins compared to the previous season where they finished last in 2024. The team triumphed in two playoff rounds before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
Notably, the ballots were cast before the postseason began. Bobby Cox remains the sole Blue Jays manager to have clinched the prestigious award back in 1985. Schneider’s runner-up position marks the highest achievement for a Toronto manager since Cito Gaston finished second in 1989.
Taking over from Charlie Montoyo in July 2022, Schneider had his contract’s 2026 option year recently exercised. General manager Ross Atkins confirmed ongoing discussions regarding a contract extension during a media session at the end of the season, praising Schneider’s leadership and expertise.
Schneider, a native of Princeton, N.J., played a pivotal role in Toronto’s journey to the wild-card series in his debut season as manager. Despite setbacks in subsequent years, the team made a remarkable comeback in 2025, claiming the East title in a tiebreaker against New York.
The Blue Jays advanced through the playoffs, defeating the Yankees in the AL Division Series and the Mariners in the AL Championship Series. Their journey culminated in a thrilling 5-4, 11-inning loss to the Dodgers in the World Series finale.
With over two decades of dedication to the Toronto franchise, Schneider’s career trajectory is impressive. Starting as a player drafted by the Blue Jays in 2002, he transitioned to coaching roles within the organization, eventually ascending to the position of manager for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2018.
His promotion to the major-league coaching staff in 2019, followed by the role of bench coach in 2022, paved the way for Schneider to become the 14th manager of the Blue Jays since the team’s inception in 1977.
