Reports say the Toronto Blue Jays have just about wrapped up a two-year contract extension with manager John Gibbons, who has spent parts of nine seasons helming the club.
John Gibbons is entering the fifth season of his second stint as Toronto Blue Jays manager, and it appears the team would like to keep him around even longer. According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, the Jays have reached an agreement with Gibbons on a two-year contract extension that will take him through the 2019 campaign. The deal also includes a club option for 2020.
As Davidi notes, the new agreement – when finalized – would position Gibbons to become the longest-tenured and winningest skipper in franchise history. Cito Gaston, who was at the helm for the club’s two World Series titles in 1992 and ’93, currently holds both distinctions with 894 wins and 1,731 games managed.
Gibbons previously managed Toronto from 2004 to 2008 before returning to the post in 2013. Overall, he has led the Jays to a 644-614 record (.512), an AL East division title in 2015 and ALCS appearances in each of the last two seasons.
The extended deal is a vote of confidence in Gibbons from president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins, and indicates the organization is pleased with the direction of the team under his leadership. The Blue Jays are heading into the 2017 season at something of a crossroads. With the departure of Edwin Encarnacion and the near-exit of Jose Bautista, it feels like some of the old guard is breaking away. After slugging their way to victory more often than not in recent years, last season saw a shift toward a more well-rounded squad with a strong pitching rotation.
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Fueled by the emergence of 24-year-old Aaron Sanchez, along with solid performances from veterans J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada, Jays starting pitchers placed fourth in all of baseball in 2016 with a 3.64 ERA. They also provided their club with more innings (995.1) than any other rotation. They will largely return the same successful group this year, albeit with a full season of Francisco Liriano and a hopefully more consistent showing from 25-year-old Marcus Stroman.
However, that’s not to say the Blue Jays lineup should be anything resembling a slouch. Though Encarnacion takes big production with him, new designated hitter Kendrys Morales should hold his own in Toronto. There’s little reason to think Josh Donaldson will stop putting up MVP-type numbers either.
Jays front office executives have praised Gibbons’ even-keeled demeanor and handling of his role in the past. Per Davidi, Shapiro had this to say about the skipper during last fall’s ALCS:
"“There’s a level of consistency with him in approach that is unflappable and I think that translates into toughness . . . There’s no panic. He believes in the talent, he believes in his players, he believes in the process and he believes in all the work that’s been done to date. That gives us confidence, that gives the players confidence and the belief to hold true to the bigger picture.”"
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Toronto will hope Gibbons’ steady hand (and more good pitching) helps them remain a factor in the AL East over the next several seasons. Although the Red Sox are almost universally accepted as the current power in the division, the Jays could give their rivals something to think about this year and should be right in the thick of it for a postseason spot.