Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider placed second in the American League manager of the year voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, coming in behind Stephen Vogt of the Cleveland Guardians. Schneider steered the Blue Jays to a successful season with 94 wins and the American League East Division title. The results, revealed on Tuesday, showed Schneider receiving 10 first-place votes out of 30 and a total of 91 points.
Vogt, who led the Guardians to victory in the AL Central, secured 17 first-place votes and accumulated 113 points. The Seattle Mariners’ Dan Wilson was also in the running as a finalist with two first-place votes and 50 points.
This marks Vogt’s second consecutive year earning the prestigious accolade, while Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy also clinched a repeat win for the National League award.
Under Schneider’s leadership, the Blue Jays significantly improved, winning 20 more games compared to their previous last-place finish in 2024. The team advanced through two playoff rounds before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
Notably, ballots were cast prior to the commencement of the post-season. Bobby Cox remains the sole Blue Jays manager who has won the award, achieving this feat in 1985. Schneider’s second-place finish is the highest for a Toronto skipper since Cito Gaston’s runner-up position in 1989 behind Frank Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles.
Having taken over as the Blue Jays manager in July 2022, succeeding Charlie Montoyo, Schneider recently had his contract extended through the 2026 season. General manager Ross Atkins expressed his admiration for Schneider, highlighting him as a pivotal leader within the organization.
Schneider, a 45-year-old hailing from Princeton, N.J., led Toronto to the wild-card series in his inaugural season but faced a defeat against the Seattle Mariners. Despite subsequent setbacks, the Blue Jays made a strong comeback in 2025, securing the East title after a tiebreaker with the New York Yankees.
The team went on to triumph over the Yankees in the AL Division Series and the Mariners in the AL Championship Series. The Blue Jays ultimately lost a tight 5-4, 11-inning match against the Dodgers in the World Series decider.
With over two decades of experience with the Toronto franchise, Schneider’s journey began in 2002 when he was drafted by the Blue Jays. After retiring as a player in 2007, he transitioned into coaching roles within the organization, steadily climbing the ranks to become the 14th manager of the Blue Jays since the team’s inception in 1977.