The Blue Jays stepped in with nearly the same roster as 2024, the same staff as the year they finished last in the division. But by the 2025 fall classic, they were en route to win their first ring since 1993. Ernie Clement announced that they wouldn’t be there without John Schneider, while the fans declared he deserved to win AL Manager of the Year. But the league was not on the same page.

In the results revealed on Wednesday, it was Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt who came out a winner. Schneider finished second with 10 first-place votes, while Vogt received 17 of them.

It is no secret that the Guardians’ manager was bestowed the honor for his team’s remarkable late-season surge. They won 19 of their last 23 games to overtake the Tigers after selling at the trade deadline. Essentially, the team overcame a 15.5-game deficit to win the AL Central, finishing with an 88-74 record and a playoff berth, all while scoring the third-fewest runs in MLB.

Moreover, despite dealing with a midseason slump and off-field issues involving two key players, Vogt kept his team focused, relying on small-ball tactics and elite pitching. But after the World Series finish, even if it ended in a loss, one wouldn’t expect Schneider anywhere but on top of this particular chart.

Yes, the votes were in place before even the postseason took off, but even then, the Blue Jays manager had enough to make a case.

Schneider, who entered the season to try and be his authentic self, led Toronto to a stellar 94-60 record, better than both the Mariners and the Guardians. Just a year ago, they had sat at the bottom of their division with a poor 74-88 record. But Schneider managed to completely flip that script, guiding the team to the best record in the American League.

The team also lit up in every category in comparison to 2024:

• Doubles: 280  –  294
• Home Runs: 156  –  191
• RBI: 640  –  771
• Batting average: .241  –  .265

The Blue Jays manager took over the role in 2022 as an interim manager upon Charlie Montoyo’s departure. He took his time to set up, failing to make it deep into October. But as team president and CEO Mark Shapiro said, “he keeps getting better,” and 2025 was a result of that.

Blue Jays faithful couldn’t handle leaving their manager off after one of the most impressive turnarounds. The accusations of dismissing Canada came strong, because a lot more predated Schneider’s snub.

Blue Jays fans call out MLB for Schneider’s snub

Is Schneider getting snubbed from the AL Manager of the Year is, something against the Blue Jays? Fans think so. “MLB despises Toronto,” a fan said. “John Schneider not winning is a f****** joke. MLB and its AP hate Canada,” added another. Remember, just at the last leg of the regular season, Springer was visibly upset when a hit against the Red Sox he believed to be fair was ruled foul by the umpire? “If they want New York to win, just tell me and give it to them already!” He said that time.

In doing so, Springer implied that MLB/umpires were biased in favour of the Yankees clinching the division (AL East) and that missed calls were benefiting New York. So, just another example of why the fans think MLB is acting against the Blue Jays and even against Canada.

“Ernie Clement was robbed of the utility gold glove, Alejandro Kirk was robbed of the catcher gold glove for the third time, and now John Schneider was robbed of Manager of the Year. Just ridiculous,” another user added to the list of heartbreaks for the Blue Jays fans. “Worst November in franchise history,” another said.

So yes, despite playing their best in recent times, November this year would be a haunting memory for the Blue Jays for a long time. It started with losing the World Series, then losing out on the Gold Glove races, and now Schneider. More heartbreaking because Vogt won for overcoming a 15.5-game deficit, while Schneider is snubbed despite overcoming 2024’s last position. “It’s bullshit. Schneider should’ve won. And I’m from Seattle,” another one agrees.

This isn’t the first time fans have questioned the logic behind MLB’s Manager of the Year voting. In 2020, Dave Roberts led the Dodgers to a 98-win season and a World Series title, yet he wasn’t even nominated for the award. Many felt his steady leadership through injuries and pressure-packed moments deserved recognition, proving that even clear frontrunners can get overlooked when the voting narrative leans elsewhere.

That’s because the award often rewards surprise success over consistency or dominance. In 2006, Joe Girardi won despite the Marlins finishing below .500, simply because he exceeded expectations with a young roster. Historically, only a handful of winners have managed the league’s best team. So Schneider’s snub fits a familiar pattern — results alone don’t always win over the voters’ perception of adversity.

So, what’s next? Both Schneider and Vogt will face each other again next year with their respective teams. And it would be interesting to witness who wins the battle.