Who replaces Charlie Montoyo now that the Blue Jays have fired him?
The Jays are not in the best position, but they can still make the playoffs. The question is can their new manager take them there?
When you’ve got to fire you’re manager it’s never a good sign, but when it’s done mid-season that’s surely much worse. Where do the Blue Jays go from here?
Toronto Blue Jays fire Charlie Montoyo
According to reports on Wednesday, the Toronto Blue Jays fired manager Charlie Montoyo. The news comes as the Jays are in the middle of what has to be called a bad spell, as the sit on a record of 2-9 since July 2nd. Incidentally, it was the final year of Montoyo’s original deal, however, he had recently signed a one-year contract extension back in April, which actually included club options for 2024 and 2025. Ultimately, it was not meant to be as Montoyo finished with an overall record of 236-236 during a four-year tenure as the man in charge in Toronto.
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins was clear when he explained that the team’s disappointing start to the season was not the fault of one person alone, describing the decision to fire Montoyo as a difficult one to make. “I wanted to make it work with Charlie,” Atkins said. “I’m extremely disappointed with where we are...This is a collective setback, and ultimately this starts with me.” As for what happens next, bench coach John Schneider has been named interim manager through the remainder of the season. With that being the situation, Casey Candaele, the manager of the franchise’s triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, will now act as Toronto’s interim bench coach.Interestingly, this is the sixth time in the Jays’ history that they have change manager mid-season. The last time saw Cito Gaston replace John Gibbons back in 2008. The team would go on to finish 4th in the AL East under Gaston with a 51-37 record.
Who is John Schneider?
A former player, Schneider spent six minor-league seasons as a catcher with the Blue Jays. Since 2008 he’s coached with the franchise in different capacities, initially as a manager in the Gulf Coast League and then after being promoted in 2010, he served as manager of the franchise’s short-season low-A affiliate in Vancouver. The 42-year-old would eventually go on to show his championship chops, when he led the Canadians to a Northwest League Championship in 2011, before taking a brief break from the game. Schneider would later return to manage the minor league team of Vancouver for two seasons from 2014-15.
Between then and now, Scheider picked up additional experience in Lansing and Dunedin, where he served as the manager for both teams. Then, in 2017 Schneider actually managed current MLB players Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and assisted them in winning the Florida State League championship. It wouldn’t stop there, as he would follow the pair to double-A New Hampshire the very next season, becoming the manager of the Fisher Cats in 2018. His time there would become a clear indication of his managerial ability, with the team ultimately winning its second-straight championship and Schneider himself being named Eastern League Manager of the Year. As for the Blue Jays, Schneider would receive a promotion to their big-league club just before the 2019 season. From that time to the present, he has served as a member of Montoyo’s staff. With Montoyo now out, the question is simple: ‘Can he lead a team that sits fourth in the AL East Division on a record of 46-42 to the final wild-card spot?’