Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro has signed a five-year contract extension, Rogers Communications (which owns the Jays) announced Friday.
“The opportunity to lead the Blue Jays organization over the past 10 years has been incredibly fulfilling,” Shapiro said in a statement within today’s announcement. “Together we have built an organization with people who care deeply about baseball and take immense pride in being Canada’s team. I am grateful and honoured to be able to continue that work.”
Shapiro, 58, has spent the past decade as the Blue Jays’ president and CEO. He’d previously been the general manager and, eventually, team president in Cleveland. His past contract ran through the end of the calendar year. Current Jays general manager Ross Atkins was hired away from Cleveland by Shapiro; he’d previously been their vice president of player personnel.
Both Shapiro and Atkins have now signed multiple long-term extensions to remain in place as the top decision-makers for the Jays. Shapiro is now locked in through the 2030 season. Atkins signed a five-year extension back in 2021 and is currently signed through the end of the 2026 campaign. Given the Jays’ run to Game 7 of the World Series, it stands to reason that Atkins could be in line for an extension of his own at some point in the coming months.
Under Shapiro and Atkins, the Jays have won 89 or more games in four of the past five seasons. They hadn’t had any playoff success — save for the 2016 season, though that was a largely inherited club from the prior regime — but broke through in a major way in 2025 when they toppled the Yankees and Mariners in the ALDS and ALCS before coming just two outs away from the franchise’s first World Series victory since the 1992-93 repeat.
While the Jays have often been runners-up for prominent free agents in recent seasons (e.g. Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani), this year’s World Series push and the team’s $500MM investment in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have perhaps helped to establish the Jays as more of a free agent destination. Right-hander Dylan Cease just inked a seven-year contract, and Toronto has shown interest in both Kyle Tucker and in re-signing star infielder Bo Bichette, who reached the open market for the first time in his career this offseason. Ownership’s decision to commit to another extension with Shapiro is both a vote of confidence in the team’s current core and vision, as well as a signal that Toronto will be continuing in win-now mode for the foreseeable future.
Good for him. He did a good job with the Indians too.
Hard to complain about this extension. What he accomplished with the facilities and stadium renovation was impressive. Proof of this is from the players and agents who comment on them. It took a while for them to find their footing and build out their vision into reality. But 2025 was eye-opening in what the team could be. And, with Rogers moving them to a top 5 payroll team, there should be many playoffs in the future.
Did he unload portly Jonah Hill too with Rincon? How champions are made
Neither Oakland, nor Rincon won a World Series since that happened.
What a difference a year makes. A year ago Blue Jays fans wanted to beat this guy up and toss him in a river.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. It shows how dumb most baseball fans are. They’re slaves to the moment and judge everything based on the most recent performance. The guy went from being a scapegoat to the GOAT. The truth is somewhere in between. Toronto’s front office has done a good job but I wouldn’t be surprised to see another AL team make the World Series. It’s just the way these things go.
Sports is a what have you done for me lately. And honestly, outside of 2024, this he’s been a very good team for the last 5 years
I wish I knew the length of the extension that Jed Hoyer gave to himself.
Good for Shapiro. He earned it.
Team presidents don’t give extensions to themselves. They receive those from their boss, the owner or ownership group. I’d guess Jed’s deal is also 5 years. Like his other ones
The 2025 season saved him. He looked to be on the way out even as recently as the early part of the 2025 season.
Hollywood was very nice to cast Reed Diamond as Shapiro in Moneyball, he looks more like Louis C.K. to me, and Louis wasn’t cancelled then.
now they just need a new 3b coach
Who will tell the runner to take a bigger lead and to run all the way with the bases loaded.
Yep, dont need to slide at home with the bases loaded. Also take a bigger lead at 3rd as the count favors the pitcher; less likely the batter will make solid contact and the runner getting doubled off. Baseball 101
Any opportunity to stay in Canada is a good opportunity. Good for him and the Blue Jays.
What? I am a Canadian and there is not much good about Canada right now.
What? I am Canadian and there is much good about Canada.
Like what censorship, crime and drug addicts all over the place now? A deficit at over 80b and the cost of everything skyrocketing bc of PM Crookfield?
Yes it’s a real shame your voice is being suppressed. If only people could air their perceived grievances all over the place so that no one could ever get any respite; not even on a baseball site when one just wants to unwind after work.
Now resign Bichette!
He did deserve this, but I do wonder if this was done now, before he starts making moves, so he knows he has security if a move fails
It was done now because his contact expires in three weeks
so maybe the reason why 5 instead of 1 or 2? gives him security?
Good.
Having overseen the upgrades to facilities and other infrastructure, this gives him enough time to finish the job.
End the drought!!
Go Jays!!!
Congratulations. I still wished they beat LA in WS. I wonder how IKF is sleeping at night after his base running mistake. Some things like that will haunt a player forever.
I would say this team would’ve won the World series if they had a healthy Bo.
In saying that though, I would love to have Tucker but do we need to become the Bronx bombers. I believe Bo and Louis Alvarez are better options. Having two of the top hitters in baseball. Plus if Santander and varsho stay healthy and a full year of Clement and barger I think we have enough. With the pitching additions that have been made and who knows, maybe bassit back in a new role and maybe Scherzer as well as a opener who can be stretched out when needed. This could be a Frankenstein of baseball teams next year.
Lou Alvarez?
P2
Is this an AI-generated post?
Bo played in the WS. He hit .348 with an OBP of .444 and an OPS of .923. How much would those have improved if he was ‘healthy’?
And, if you meant Arraez, keep him as far away from the Jays as possible. They don’t need a singles-hitting pinch-hitter/DH
“He’d previously been the general manager and, eventually, team president in Cleveland.”
No. Just no. This is not how you use “eventually.” It needs only one comma after it or none at all:
“He’d previously been the general manager and eventually, team president in Cleveland.”
“He’d previously been the general manager and eventually team president in Cleveland.”
Both are correct. Adams’ is not.