After managing the Toronto Blue Jays to their first World Series appearance in 32 years last fall, John Schneider is set to enter his walk year this season and become a free agent next winter. However, both sides appear determined to avoid that outcome altogether.

Schneider, who owns a 303-257 career managerial record since taking over for Charlie Montoyo midway through the 2022 campaign, had his 2026 club option quietly picked up last spring, as general manager Ross Atkins — also a free agent after this season — revealed back in November. He also noted that discussions were already underway about extending the skipper’s tenure beyond ’26.

Now that the off-season is over, it’s officially extension season — an opportunistic window in the baseball calendar when most front offices attempt to put pen to paper on new deals before Opening Day. This is now the Blue Jays’ chance to strike with Schneider, who finished second in AL Manager of the Year voting last year and would surely be highly sought-after if he were to reach the open market.

While nothing has been finalized yet, Schneider and Atkins are continuing contract negotiations this spring, as Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reported over the weekend. An extension of this partnership seems inevitable, one way or another, even if both sides are still weeks or months away from reaching the finish line.

The Blue Jays skipper has led this franchise to three post-season appearances (2022-23, 2025) during his tenure, and despite missing the post-season in ’24, he helped anchor the team’s culture turnaround that fueled last season’s magical playoff run. And he’s now attempting to replicate that identity this season.

The manager market has rapidly evolved in recent years, growing more lucrative for the sport’s top-tier skippers. Case in point, Pat Murphy, the reigning two-time NL Manager of the Year winner, agreed to a new deal with the Milwaukee Brewers last week that’ll make him one of baseball’s highest-paid managers, alongside Los Angeles’ Dave Roberts — whose $8.1 million average annual value leads the majors — and Chicago’s Craig Counsell.

For Murphy, his extension with the Brewers adds two additional seasons and a club option for 2029, guaranteeing him a total of $8.95 million in new salary, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Now it’s Schneider’s turn to be rewarded for his remarkable leadership and efforts.