TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro and Toronto agreed to a new five-year contract following the team's first American League pennant since 1993.
Rogers Communications announced the agreement Friday, six weeks after the Blue Jays came within two outs of the title before losing Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Shapiro, 58, took over as president and CEO when Paul Beeston retired after the 2015 season. Shapiro had spent 24 seasons with Cleveland, including the previous five as team president.
Ross Atkins, who worked for Shapiro in Cleveland, was hired as Blue Jays general manager in December 2015. Atkins is signed through the 2026 season.
Shapiro had signed a five-year contract extension in January 2021.
“Mark’s exceptional leadership has been a driving force behind the Blue Jays’ success, and we’re thrilled he will continue to lead our team and build on their incredible momentum,” team chairman Edward Rogers, also the executive chair of team owner Rogers Communications, said in a statement. “As proud owners of Canada’s team, we are excited to work with Mark and his team to give them the tools and resources they need to bring World Series championships back to Canada.”
Toronto's only World Series came in 1992 and '93.
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FILE - Toronto Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro speaks during an end-of-season baseball media availability in Toronto, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
SEATTLE (AP) — All Vinnie Pasquantino needed was a few days of rest, a morning walk around Seattle and a warm, sunny day at T-Mobile Park to get back on track for the Kansas City Royals.
Pasquantino had two hits — including a solo homer — two RBIs and two runs in his return to Kansas City’s lineup against the Seattle Mariners after sitting out the previous two games because of lower back tightness. He batted third and played first base in the Royals' 7-6 win.
“I told them yesterday, I want in,” Pasquantino said. “And I’ll let them know if anything changes.”
His single to right field drove in Kansas City’s opening run in the first inning. He then belted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth off Bryan Woo on a 2-0 count, a Statcast-projected 404-foot blast into the second deck in right. It gave the Royals a 5-3 lead before Jac Caglianone followed with a solo home run to right.
Pasquantino said it has been an issue he has dealt with for a while after he was removed in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game. He also appeared in the ninth inning and hit a game-ending flyout in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Athletics.
“We hope that he’s not going to have to deal with it the whole season,” manager Matt Quatraro said before Friday’s game. “But he’ll probably feel it for a handful of days before it resolves.”
But it felt good in Friday’s win.
“We’ll see how it feels in about an hour when all the adrenaline comes down,” Pasquantino said.
Pasquantino, 28, is off to a slow start this season for Kansas City, batting .176 with three doubles, 16 RBIs and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.
Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino hits an RBI single to score Maikel Garcia against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, May 1, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
