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(Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
The Toronto Blue Jays are entering the 2026 MLB season as reigning American League champions and AL East division winners. Moreover, while the team did see key players depart, like Bo Bichette, Toronto is still a contender in the AL to return to the World Series.
At the helm of guiding Toronto to an impressive 2025 season was manager John Schneider. Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro received a five-year extension in December, and now the focus is on Schneider as to when he will get an extension and a pay raise for the job he’s done.
On Feb. 21, Schneider spoke with the media and shared an update on the status of a contract extension that would keep him in Toronto for the foreseeable future.
“We’re talking,” Schneider said (h/t Shi Davidi of SportsNet). “I know Ross said that at the end of the season and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be and I know that I’m a small cog in the whole operation. They know how I feel. We’ve had some discussions about it and if there’s a way to do it for both sides that makes sense, that’d be great.
“I’m really just focused on right here, right now and how we’re going to continue to get better. We’ll continue to talk and there’s no place I’d rather be than with this group.”
Since replacing Charlie Montoyo on July 2022, John Schneider has guided the Blue Jays to a 303-257 record and three playoff appearances. He also finished in second place for the AL Manager of the Year award.
Blue Jays Insider Gives Kazuma Okamoto Update
One of the new arrivals for Schneider this offseason is Japanese standout Kazuma Okamoto. The Blue Jays signed Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million contract this winter, and with the departure of Bo Bichette, Toronto needs players like Okamoto to fill that production void.
As the 2026 season fast approaches, Davidi shared the latest on the Blue Jays’ plan for Okamoto.
“I think [Okamoto is their starting third baseman] until he isn’t, and the Blue Jays believe that he’s going to be fine at third base,” Davidi said during a Feb. 18 appearance on Sportsnet 590 The FAN. “That’s part of the reason, and part of their thinking in making the decision to sign him is that they felt they would be able to get a competent third baseman out of him.
“Having Andres Giménez to his left at shortstop obviously helps and mitigates the need for him to have a lot of range and the Blue Jays feel that he’s going to catch whatever is hit at him.”
Toronto Content With What Kazuma Okamoto Brings
Moreover, Davidi is highlighting some of Okamoto’s traits that the Blue Jays hope will help him stick at third base this season. Still, he notes that the player needs to see live action before determing whether any traits he has can translate over to the MLB regular season.
“He’s got plenty of arm to make the throws that he needs to make,” Davidi added. “He can play a little bit deeper than he did in Japan to maybe cut off a few more balls as well. I think all those elements give them confidence.
“Now, at camp, we haven’t seen that tested yet, and so I think that’s going to be interesting to watch. But you can also tell this is a guy who’s absorbing a lot of new.”
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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