Blue Jays pick up manager Charlie Montoyo’s 2022 option

The Blue Jays have secured manager Charlie Montoyo for the 2022 season. GM Ross Atkins announced the move on a Zoom call Tuesday, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter) and others. Officially, Toronto picked up their option for the 2022 season. Through two seasons, Montoyo’s Blue Jays have a 99-123 record.

The Jays hired Montoyo from the Rays before the 2019 season to a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. With that option now executed, Montoyo heads into a fairly critical season. Expectations are sky high for the Blue Jays for the first time in Montoyo’s tenure. 

Montoyo helped Toronto end a three-year playoff drought last season. Speaking hypothetically, if the Jays under-perform in 2021 and finish, say, with 85 wins and outside of the money, the Jays would face a difficult decision on Montoyo heading into a lame=duck season. If, on the other hand, the Jays are able to sneak past the Rays and Yankees to win the AL East, an extension could be in order for their 55-year-old manager.

Before taking over in Toronto, Montoyo spent 18 seasons managing in the Rays’ system. He spent three seasons with the MLB team as the third base coach before replacing Tom Foley as Kevin Cash’s bench coach for the 2018 season. Montoyo finished third in AL Manager of the Year award voting in 2020. Last April, Montoyo made history with Alex Cora of the Red Sox in the first-ever MLB match-up featuring two managers of Puerto Rican descent.