Shapiro Confident of New Deal with Blue Jays
Mark Shapiro, president of the Toronto Blue Jays, remains optimistic about finalizing a new contract despite ongoing discussions. Speaking at the team's end-of-season event, he revealed that negotiations were temporarily paused during the team’s playoff run to avoid distractions.
“I think we’ll likely work something out soon,” Shapiro said, explaining that contract talks were delayed because of the Blue Jays’ World Series pursuit.
Shapiro, 58, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has led the Blue Jays since fall 2015, taking over from longtime president Paul Beeston. Before joining Toronto, he spent about 20 years with the Cleveland organization, advancing from director of player development to general manager, and eventually becoming team president in 2010.
In December of that year, Shapiro hired Ross Atkins, Cleveland’s vice-president of player personnel, as Toronto’s general manager. It is understood that Shapiro’s current contract with the Blue Jays will expire in early 2026.
Summary: Mark Shapiro, Blue Jays president since 2015, expects to soon finalize a new contract after postponing talks during the team’s playoff run.