After leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a remarkable World Series appearance and achieving a significant 20-win turnaround, John Schneider is on the verge of potentially earning accolades for his managerial performance. On Monday, Schneider was named one of the three finalists for the American League Manager of the Year award, alongside Stephen Vogt from the Cleveland Guardians and Dan Wilson of the Seattle Mariners. The winner of this prestigious honor will be revealed on November 11, 2025.
Under Schneider's leadership, the Toronto Blue Jays made a dramatic recovery from a disappointing 74-win season in 2024, soaring to a total of 94 wins in 2025. The team clinched the AL East division title for the first time since 2015, marking their most successful season in terms of wins since 1993. The Blue Jays also showcased their resilience throughout the year, leading Major League Baseball with an impressive 49 comeback victories, attributed to contributions from various players across the roster.
Bobby Cox remains the only Blue Jays manager to have previously won the Manager of the Year award, achieving the milestone in 1985. This year, Schneider will face stiff competition from Vogt, who is competing for the award again after securing it in 2024. Under a strong finish, Vogt guided the Guardians back to the playoffs, winning the AL Central title with 88 wins while overcoming a challenging 15.5-game deficit in the division.
Dan Wilson also made a significant impact in 2025, leading the Mariners back to postseason play with a 90-win record. His success included securing the team's first AL West title since 2001, thereby ending the Astros' recent dominance in the division, as the Houston team had clinched the title in seven out of the previous eight seasons.
It is important to note that voting for these awards occurs prior to the MLB postseason. Therefore, the Blue Jays' impressive World Series performance will not influence the outcomes for this year's awards, including the Manager of the Year accolade.
The announcement of the finalists came during a press event in which Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), revealed contenders for the four major awards across each league for the 2025 season. All awards are attributed through the voting process managed by the BBWAA, with winners to be disclosed in the coming week.
As for the timeline of other awards, the Rookies of the Year will be announced on November 10, followed by the Cy Young award winners on November 12, and the MVPs on November 13. Below is a summary of the finalists for each award category:
AL MVP Finalists:
- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
- Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
- José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians
AL Cy Young Finalists:
- Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
- Hunter Brown, Houston Astros
- Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
AL Manager of the Year Finalists:
- John Schneider, Toronto Blue Jays
- Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians
- Dan Wilson, Seattle Mariners
AL Rookie of the Year Finalists:
- Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox
- Nick Kurtz, Athletics
- Jacob Wilson, Athletics
NL MVP Finalists:
- Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
- Juan Soto, New York Mets
NL Cy Young Finalists:
- Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies
- Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Rookie of the Year Finalists:
- Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
- Caleb Durbin, Milwaukee Brewers
- Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs
NL Manager of the Year Finalists:
- Terry Francona, Cincinnati Reds
- Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers
- Rob Thomson, Philadelphia Phillies
