TORONTO, Kan. — The Toronto Blue Jays extended Charlie Montoyo's contract on Friday, locking up the skipper through the 2023 season.
He helped the team to a 91-win campaign last year and finished fourth in American League manager of the year voting. The Blue Jays announced the extension a week before Opening Day.
Montoyo became the 13th manager in franchise history in October 2018, signing a three-year deal with a team option for 2022 that was picked up before last season.
Toronto was 67-95 in Montoyo's first campaign as manager as the club completed a rebuild.
The Blue Jays were 32-28 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and were swept by Tampa Bay in a two-game wild-card playoff series. Montoyo would finish third in AL manager of the year voting that year.
In 2021, Montoyo guided the club through the challenges of playing in three different home locations as pandemic-related border restrictions forced the Blue Jays to start the season in Dunedin, Fla., before moving north to Buffalo.
The team's return to Rogers Centre finally came in late July. The Blue Jays made a late push for the playoffs but finished one game short at 91-71.
Montoyo, 57, spent three seasons as Tampa Bay's third-base coach before becoming the Rays' bench coach in 2018. He managed the triple-A Durham Bulls from 2007-14.
Montoyo was selected by Milwaukee in the sixth round of the 1987 first-year player draft. He spent 10 years as an infielder in three different organizations: the Brewers, Montreal Expos and Philadelphia Phillies.
A native of Florida, Puerto Rico, his lone big-league experience as a player came in 1993 with the Expos when he appeared in four games. He retired as a player after the 1996 season.
Montoyo also coached Team Puerto Rico in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He was named International League manager of the year in 2010 and 2013.
The Blue Jays did not release financial details of the extension.
Toronto tied the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-6 in Grapefruit League play on Friday. The Pirates evened the score with a three-run ninth inning that included a two-run homer from shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng off Jays reliever Anthony Castro.
Third baseman Gosuke Katoh powered the Jays' attack with a 3-for-3 outing at the plate with a double and two runs scored.
Toronto continues pre-season play on Saturday against Philadelphia.
The Jays will kick off the regular-season campaign on April 8 against the visiting Texas Rangers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2022.
The Canadian Press
