2 weeks Ago
The Toronto Blue Jays made a lot of moves this offseason, hoping to build their roster up to a point where they would be considered bona fide playoff contenders in the American League East. The massive transactions haven’t stopped during the regular season, as they dominated headlines when it was announced that All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had agreed to a massive extension with the franchise.
They agreed to a 14-year, $500 million deal, which includes a $325 million signing bonus. It puts to rest one of the biggest questions of the year about what the future holds for him. When an extension wasn’t agreed to by his self-imposed deadline of spring training, speculation began about where he would end up playing in 2026.
It will be with the Blue Jays , who are thrilled to have their star locked in long-term. Recruiting other players to join the team will be a little easier now with a superstar committed to the franchise for the long haul. With the uncertainty about his future now being settled, all of the attention will turn to the field, where results are needed.
Entering play on Wednesday, Toronto was 10-8, keeping pace with the New York Yankees , who are 10-7, atop the American League East standings. They are the only teams currently above the .500 mark in the normally loaded division.
Toronto's 10 victories is tied for the most in the AL, along with the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers . Things are wide open, as one good run could have a team positioned to be the talk of the town that week and the class of the AL. There are varying degrees of pressure on teams, and in the opinion of Jim Bowden of The Athletic, there may not be a manager facing more pressure to win this year than the Blue Jays leader, John Schneider.
In a recent appearance on Foul Territory, the former MLB executive spoke about which managers could be on the hot seat if their teams fail to live up to expectations. Schneider was one of the people he mentioned, along with Brandon Hyde of the Baltimore Orioles , who could be the first fired if their teams fall out of contention. "They've got to take their teams to the playoffs, or I don't think they'll have their jobs,” Bowden said.
Schneider took over as the team’s manager in 2022 after Charlie Montoyo was fired following a 46-42 start. Toronto caught fire after the change, going 46-28 and earning a spot in the playoffs as a wild card team. His first full season as manager wasn’t anywhere near as successful, with the Blue Jays going 74-88 and finishing in last place in the AL East.
With his seat potentially heating up, he will be under pressure to oversee a winning product, especially after how much money that has been spent over the last few months. Recommended Articles.
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