John Schneider has “had some discussions about” a long-term extension with the Blue Jays, the manager told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. Schneider is entering the final year of his current contract, and “if there’s a way to do [an extension] for both sides that makes sense, that’d be great….We’ll continue to talk and there’s no place I’d rather be than with this group.”
Promoted from bench coach to interim manager after Charlie Montoyo was fired midway through the 2022 season, Schneider led that year’s Jays team to a wild card berth, which earned him a three-year deal to remain as the team’s full-time skipper. That contract included a club option for the 2026 season, which the Jays naturally exercised last November in the wake of Toronto’s run to Game 7 of the World Series.
The Jays have a 303-257 record under Schneider, and the team has reached the postseason three times in his four seasons. The one non-playoff year came in 2024 when the Blue Jays struggled to a 74-88 record, and there was plenty of speculation heading into the 2025 campaign about whether or not Toronto needed a change in the dugout and/or in the front office. Winning the AL pennant naturally changed that conversation in a hurry, leaving Schneider and GM Ross Atkins looking like extension candidates.
It wouldn’t at all be a surprise if Schneider and Atkins both had new deals signed before Opening Day, though it would be a real eye-opener if Daulton Varsho was extended as he heads into his final season before free agency. This isn’t a reflection on how the Jays feel about Varsho, but rather the fact that Varsho is represented by Scott Boras, whose clients almost always test the open market rather than opt for extensions.
Atkins has said in the past that the Jays have interest in extending Varsho, though the outfielder didn’t even confirm that any talks had taken place when speaking with the Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm and other reporters earlier this week.
“I stay out of those [extension] conversations, I don’t want to be in them,” Varsho said, noting that he leaves such business to his representation. Varsho did express an interest in remaining with the Jays, saying “I love being here. They treat families really well and they do everything to kind of keep players here…I’ve enjoyed my time. I’m going to keep enjoying it.”
Another obstacle between Varsho and an extension could be the fact that signing a deal now might result in a lot of money left on the table. As Chisholm notes, a healthy and consistent 2026 campaign could put Varsho in line for a major free agent payday next winter, so it could be in his interest to use 2026 as a platform year.
Varsho is arguably the best defensive center fielder in baseball, and he has hit 85 homers over the last four seasons. However, his .225/.292/.432 slash line since the start of the 2022 season translates to an exact 100 wRC+, as Varsho’s lack of walks and penchant for strikeouts have offset his power potential. He was also limited to 71 games in 2025 — Varsho missed time due to recovery from a September 2024 rotator cuff surgery, and then a hamstring strain that cost him two months of regular-season action.
In other news around the Blue Jays’ spring camp, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson writes that minor league signing Eloy Jimenez “has been spending a lot of time at first base.” Jimenez never played first base during his first big league seasons with the White Sox and Orioles from 2019-24, but he logged seven games at the position in 2025 when playing in the Blue Jays’ and Rays’ farm system, and he also saw some first base action in Winter League ball.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is obviously locked into the starting first base job in Toronto and the Jays added some more depth at the position by signing Juan Yepez to a minors deal last week. However, the Jays don’t have a set backup in place behind Guerrero, as Kazuma Okamoto is expected to primarily play third base. Becoming a regular first baseman could help Jimenez’s slim chances of cracking the Blue Jays’ roster, and a move to first base is a logical career path anyway given how Jimenez’s defensive struggles in the outfield led to an increased amount of DH at-bats during his time in Chicago.
Jimenez hit .270/.321/.469 with 94 home runs over 2026 PA with the White Sox from 2019-24, as this solid production nevertheless didn’t live up to the high expectations placed on Jimenez as a top prospect and a ballyhooed international signing. Injuries and a lack of consistency caught up to Jimenez, and he is now looking to reignite his MLB career as he enters his age-29 season.
Varsho is a fun player to watch, but speed and range are the first things to go. I can’t even begin to guess the free agent contract he will get, but I hope my team doesn’t sign him. Unless it’s like three years.
Varsho will probably have a Harrison Bader-like trip through free agency, signing 1 year deals for around $10-15 mil a year. Their career stats through their first 600ish games are surprisingly similar.
I could see that. Good looks.
Except Varsho has more WAR in 600 less AB’s and considerably more dWAR which speaks to just how good he is defensively. That being said I hope they don’t sign him to a big contract as a guy with a sub.300 OBP career just kills rallies, and i love Varsh but pay for offence find defence on the cheap.
Varsho has a lot more power than Bader. He hit 20 homers last year in just 71 games. He’ll get a nice multi-year deal if he hits like that again and keeps up the strong defense.
Varsho has a terrible arm. I’d wait to see if he can throw this year
Extend Schneider. The others mentioned… let’s wait and see.
As a Rays fan, I absolutely agree: Extend Schneider. Or hire Boone away from the Yankees.
@LaBellaVita
Hire Boone away from the Yankee’s? Are you sure you aren’t a Yankee’s fan? 😉😉
They should try to hire Bruce Bochy for the Bench coach role that is now vacant
Extend Schneider, Jesus Sanchez can match Varsho for performance , speed , and 20 homers per season, Varsho strikes out waaayyy too much in critical situations
The guy with a career negative defensive WAR compared to Varsho who is elite. If both were DH’s then sure where Varsho still comes out ahead career wise.
Varsho is way better than Sanchez, and it’s not close.
shatkins is evolving into schatpiro… the 3 are probably tied together
I think Crow-Armstrong is a better CF defensively
Stats say Varsho is better and he’s been doing it for longer.
Clients of Boras Corporation, which represents 175 players in professional baseball in the US and Canada, have signed extensions at almost exactly the same rate as MLB as a whole over the past 2 decades. It is within 1%.. People continue to try to push the false narrative that because they are a Boras client, that the players won’t sign an extension, ignoring the fact that the players make the decisions, not the agent.
Very few players sign extensions in their final season before free agency, regardless of what agency they are with.
Great points by both of you. Many Boras Corp clients have and di sign extensions as Skip pointed out. They represent many high profile players so they usually stand out above their other clients and those represented by other agents.
For Varsho or any other player on last year of team control, they have went this far without security of an extensions the risk/reward usually tilts heavily towards testing free agent market at this point.
This narrative pushed on Boras the individual is nearly always tied in some degree towards politics. People have gotten so entrenched on hot button issues like labor unions that they are prisoners to the 2 party fiefdom that politicians and the corporations in our Corporate Oligarchy continue to rob us in.
Started out complimentary and devolved into incomprehensible lunacy. Bravo!!
Sir this is a Pizza Hut lunch buffet in 1993
Is Bernie still fighting the oligarchy?
Would love to see Daulton Varsho, son of Phillies PH Gary Varsho and named after Dutch – the long term RF’er for the Philadelphia Phillies.
His platoon splits are one of the biggest anomalies is baseball. If you look at the numbers, it’s optimizes that Varsho sells out for power vs. RHP, but completely sells out for contact vs. LHP. He has the arm and athleticism to play any OF spot and is an emergency 3rd Catcher. Underrated player nationally.
For what it’s worth he has never been the Jays’ emergency catcher, even. IKF and Ernie Clement have been designated emergency catcher during his tenure in TOR. While he’s a theoretical option in that role it doesn’t seem likely he will ever strap on the gear again.
@AC Surf Baseball 609
Varsho can’t hit lefties, that’s why he sells out for contact (bunts). In a sane world one of 2 things would happen. He would be in a platoon or Schneider would say to him,”then next time you bunt, even if you get a hit, you’re out of the game”.
Varsho is a bottom of the order kind of hitter, not worth a lot of money. They already have one great glove no hit player making big money on the team (Gimenez), they don’t need another.