Blue Jays Fire Charlie Montoyo, John Schneider Named Interim Manager

Sitting at 46-42 and 2-8 in their last 10 games, the Blue Jays have made a change at manager

The Blue Jays have fired manager Charlie Montoyo, the club announces.

Montoyo was in his fourth season with the Blue Jays, posting a 236-236 record as manager. He led the team to one playoff appearance during the 2020 season and was under contract until the end of the 2023 season, after recently signing a one-year extension. 

Bench coach John Schneider will step in as interim manager while Triple A manager Casey Candaele has been promoted to MLB bench coach, the team announced Wednesday.

The Blue Jays currently sit at 46-42, in fourth place in the American League East and 15.5 games back of the division lead. After struggles during a west coast road trip and with a 2-8 record in the last 10 games, the Jays currently sit in the AL's final playoff spot, a half-game up on the Seattle Mariners.

Montoyo was hired in 2019 after serving as a long-time coach in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He was nominated alongside Rays manager Kevin Cash and White Sox skipper Rick Renteria for the 2020 AL Manager of the Year award.

Schneider, now interim manager, has been with the major league coaching staff since 2019 and has been coaching in the Blue Jays organization for 15 years. He began as a catching instructor after retiring as a player and became manager of the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays in 2008, working his way up the minor league system. 

The change at manager was first reported by The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.