In the world of professional sports, which is continuously evolving, doing well on the field doesn’t always secure your seat in the front office. As summer 2025 ends, the Blue Jays president faces unexpected risks to his position, despite the team’s strong season. Why? Well, that’s how Edward Rogers seems to operate.

Rogers Communications owns the Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Maple Leafs (NHL), and Raptors (NBA), along with being Canada’s largest telecom and media company. They have a history of firing team presidents even after successful seasons, leading to the question: Will Mark Shapiro, president of the Blue Jays, be next?

Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun put it in very clear terms. He wrote, “What does Rogers do with Shapiro now?” “Does he re-up him as club president because of this season or let him go because of the past nine seasons before this one. Brendan Shanahan was let go as president of the Maple Leafs after 11 seasons. Masai Ujiri was let go as president of the Raptors after 12 seasons. Both had more success on the field or ice or court in their middle years than Shapiro has had. And both were far more popular and believable to their fan bases.”

Mark Shapiro became president and CEO of the Blue Jays on October 31, 2015. His first five-year contract ended at the end of the 2020 season. In January 2021, he signed a new five-year agreement that kept him under contract until the end of the 2025 season. And so far, there’s no extension talk.

On the field, however, the Blue Jays are thriving. After a bad finish in 2024, the squad has come back strong in 2025, moving up the standings, exceeding expectations, and giving fans fresh hope. Shapiro’s ideas and choices have been very important in this.

His leadership resulted in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signing a $500 million, 14-year contract extension, showing the team’s commitment to retaining its star player in Toronto. And he was confident about Valddy, “We have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome… Vlad wants to play… we want him… to end his career in a Blue Jays uniform.”

In a BNN Bloomberg interview earlier this year, he clearly stated the team’s goals.“We need to get in playoffs as frequently as possible… that happens, we will bring the World Championship back to Canada.” That wasn’t just talk; it got across what Shapiro thinks are the stakes worth putting everything on.

There’s no doubt Shapiro’s leadership has improved the team. And the impact is clearly evident in the team’s performance and how they involve players in the decisions, too.

Blue Jays culture under Shapiro’s leadership

Mark Shapiro’s Toronto Blue Jays baseball team is based on trust and open communication. Players in the clubhouse clearly think their voices matter. Which is not something that happens by mistake, especially in professional sports.

The front office showed that spirit by sitting down with players on purpose to talk about trade possibilities. Ross Atkins said, “I talked to several players about our needs and about what was important to them. I took feedback from them when they wanted to share it.” He further said, “The environment is something that’s always important to us and the hardest thing to nail. It’s always something that you have to constantly be working to improve, and was very much a part of the equation for us.”

This teamwork shows that leaders value culture as much as performance. It’s not just about player stats or trade value; it’s also about fostering team chemistry and ensuring everyone gets along on and off the field.

The collaborative approach paid off at the trade deadline when the Blue Jays acquired Shane Bieber, Seranthony Domínguez, and Ty France. These smart additions set the team up for a strong playoff run while preserving the positive culture Shapiro had built.

As the team improves on the field, a key question arises: Will Rogers reward Mark Shapiro as his contract ends, or will he face the fate of other successful executives who were let go?