BREAKING: Blue Jays Make Decision On Manager John Schneider

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins (yes, he's still the GM) held a media conference Saturday morning, and, among other things, commented on the status of manager John Schneider:

Ross Atkins says John Schneider will be back. Discussions on coaching staff ongoing.

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) October 7, 2023

Atkins says that Schneider will be back. Of course, if Jays fans had their way, Atkins himself would not be back. But that's another story. Then the GM threw his manager under the bus:

Schneider (and Atkins and the Toronto "analytics department") were blasted in all quarters for pulling sizzling starter Jose Berrios in their Game  2 elimination against the Minnesota Twins, after just three innings, when he was still mowing them down. 

Atkins, incredulously, insisted today that Schneider made the call on his own. That "pre-game meetings are John Schneider's meetings. (Atkins) is not part of those meetings. No decisions pre-planned were 100 percent locked in", Atkins said, per Jays reporter Shi Davidi. Those comments certainly don't sit well with Jays observers.

Laughable. It's baseball, so I can chirp here... but it didn't take Atkins long to lie/stretch the truth publicly. Folks in that locker room know decision came from up top. Runs were needed, but pulling Berrios killed their vibe. /rant https://t.co/n7L1frUbgr

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) October 7, 2023

Try as he might, Atkins will not be able to take the heat off himself after this disastrous finish to an overall unsuccessful and puzzling Blue Jays season. 

Photo: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports