Atkins, Schneider each returning in 2025; Mattingly shifting roles
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The Toronto Blue Jays are staying the course for the 2025 season.
Both general manager Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider will return in their roles heading into 2025, it was revealed Wednesday at the team's season-ending news conference.
“If I felt there was a better alternative to run our baseball operation, I’d make that change," team president Shapiro told reporters regarding Atkins' return Wednesday.
Atkins later confirmed Schneider's return, adding that Don Mattingly would shift from helping oversee the offence to a more traditional bench coach role.
Shapiro and Atkins joined the Blue Jays in 2015 and outside of a 2016 run to the ALCS with a team largely constructed by the previous regime, have not won a playoff game in their eight seasons at the helm.
Shapiro and Atkins tabbed John Schneider as manager mid-way through 2022, replacing Charlie Montoyo in the midst of his fourth season. He led the team to a 46-28 record after taking over but the Jays were swept by the Seattle Mariners in the wild card round that fall. The Jays won 89 games in their first full season under Schneider in 2023 but were again swept in the wild card round, this time at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.
This past off-season, Toronto failed to add substantial pieces in the free agent market and instead relied on internal improvement to try and get over the hump. But struggles from a number of key pieces led to a 74-88 finish and their worst season since 2019.
Shapiro labelled the 2024 season a “bitter disappointment” Wednesday, saying he was "confident" 2025 would be better.
Payroll expected to remain in same range
Shapiro also said Wednesday he expects the payroll to remain in the same range heading into 2025.
The team president did not go into specifics and added that he expects to have a firmer number finalized with ownership later in the off-season around the winter meetings.
According to Spotrac, the Blue Jays had the ninth-highest total payroll in 2024, coming in at $218.4 million. The New York Mets had the highest payroll at $317.7 million.