At 46-42, Toronto had fallen to fourth place in the American League East, 15 1/2 games behind the Yankees and just four games ahead of the Orioles. But the Blue Jays are coming off a 4-3 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night. Montoyo signed a contract extension in April that was meant to keep him with the Blue Jays through at least the 2023 season, with options for 2024 and ’25. By July 2nd, the Blue Jays were firmly in second place in the AL East. But the Red Sox jumped them in the division, and then the Rays followed. And on Monday, after the Mariners swept a weekend series against the Blue Jays, Seattle caught Toronto in a tie for the final AL wild card. But even after a recent 2-9 run, the Blue Jays remain in playoff contention. Montoyo began his tenure in Toronto in 2019 with the young Blue Jays on the brink of promotion. He oversaw a 67-95 season that year in the final step of a rebuild. Last season the Jays went 91-71. In three-plus years on the Toronto bench, Montoyo went 236-236. With Snyder moving in as interim manager, Triple-A manager Casey Candaele was named Toronto’s interim bench manager. The Blue Jays wrap up a series with the Phillies on Wednesday and begin a four-game set with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. (Photo: Kim Klement/USA Today)
