TORONTO — Mark Shapiro, the president and CEO of the Blue Jays, has agreed to a new five-year contract following the team’s achievement of winning the American League pennant for the first time since 1993. The announcement came shortly after Toronto nearly clinched the World Series title, falling just two outs short in Game 7 against the Los Angeles .
Shapiro, 58, took over as president and CEO after Paul Beeston’s retirement in 2015. He previously spent 24 seasons with Cleveland, including five years as their team president. Ross Atkins, who worked under Shapiro in Cleveland, joined the Blue Jays as general manager in December 2015 and is contracted through 2026.
In January 2021, Shapiro signed a five-year extension. Edward Rogers, the team president and executive chairman of Rogers Communications (the team’s owner), praised Shapiro’s leadership, emphasizing the excitement for his continued role in driving the team forward and the aspiration to bring a World Series championship back to Canada. Toronto’s only World Series appearances remain in 1992 and 1993.
Fan Take: This contract extension signals stability and strong leadership for Blue Jays fans hopeful of a championship run. It’s an exciting time for baseball in Canada, and Shapiro’s guidance could be the key to ending the long World Series drought.
