Blue Jays manager could end up with a consolation prize after losing World Series

Just two outs away from getting a World Series ring, the Toronto Blue Jays and Manager John Schneider have to settle for being the second best team in MLB. While there is no trophy for that - Schneider could walk end up owning some hardware at the end of the season after all.

On Monday evening it was announced that Schneider has been named as a finalist for Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Blue Jays manager could end up with a nice consolation prize after losing World Series

Schneider is in his fourth year as the Blue Jays manager and guided them on a miraculous turn around in one season. In 2024 the Blue Jays were last in the AL East and in 2025 they will get to hang up an AL East division championship banner, as well as a banner that says American League Champions. That should be a good enough resumé to be considered for the award, but Schneider does face some stiff competition.

The other nominees include Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt and Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson - both of whom guided their own teams to division titles in the American League. The Guardians went 88-74 to capture the AL Central, while the Mariners were 90-72, winning their first division title since 2001.

There's certainly reason to like all three guys. Outside of Schneider taking this team farther than they have been in three decades, he also had to put together 94 wins with a team that was built on their depth, and utilizing the right guys in the right spots. The Blue Jay got almost nothing out of their big free agent hitter in Anthony Santander, and Schneider managed to get some career years out of guys who were previously in utility roles, or had yet to break out in the majors.

Vogt was the Manager of the Year just last season when the Guardians went 92-69, and also won the Central before falling to the Yankees in the ALCS. In 2025, the Guardians found themselves 15.5 games out of first place in July and were 11 games behind the Detroit Tigers in early September, but found a way to overcome that deficit and win their division for a second straight season.

Wilson was in his first full season with the Mariners after taking over midway through the 2024 season. The Mariners, like the Guardians, were not in first place when September began, but Wilson was able to lead Seattle past the Astros in the West, and making the moves at the deadline, pay off. The Mariners went out and got sluggers Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor and those two deepened an already formidable offense. However, they fell short of their ultimate goal, thanks to Schneider and the Blue Jays, losing in the ALCS in seven games.

However, you could argue that Schneider was under the most pressure of all three managers and got the best results out of his team. Schneider and the Blue Jays began the season with so many question marks after an awful 2024 campaign. But after the front office signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term extension, everything seemed to click into place and with that black cloud no longer hanging over the team, they ran to the finish line with their best season in 32 years.