As John Schneider got settled into his office ahead of the season opener, he had to catch up on some mail, including a letter that appeared to be delivered shortly after the Toronto Blue Jays' season ended.
Inside was a handwritten letter bearing the logo of the Golden State Warriors. Schneider would realize that it was addressed to him from head coach Steve Kerr.
“I was like, ‘holy s—,’” Schneider told Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
The letter, dated Nov. 2, 2025 — one day after Toronto’s Game 7 loss in the World Series — caught Schneider off guard.
“I don’t know you,” Kerr wrote, “but I felt compelled to reach out after watching your incredible leadership on display during the World Series.”
Kerr referenced the pain of defeat, drawing a parallel to his own experience in the 2016 NBA Finals, when his Warriors lost Game 7 to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“The pain was real,” Kerr wrote. “But what always survives through the tough losses is the character and connection of the group. The loss won’t define you, but the way you and your guys carried themselves afterwards will.”
The message resonated with Schneider, reinforcing what he and the Blue Jays have emphasized throughout the off-season.
“It was the message we’ve been preaching all off-season and in spring,” Schneider said to Bannon. “The run was great, and the heartbreak was real, but it’s not going to define who we are. What we’re going to be defined by is how we persevere through it.”
Schneider, who took over as manager in July 2022 after replacing Charlie Montoyo, said he leaned heavily on leadership resources early in his tenure.
He admitted that he was studying coaches across sports, including Kerr.
“To have him watch me, and how I handled the pressure and decisions and media, to have him kind of give me the stamp of approval was pretty cool,” Schneider said.
The 45-year-old finished second in American League manager of the year voting last season and was recently extended through 2028. He has managed 561 major-league games, owning a .522 winning percentage, along with 22 playoff contests.
Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro is expected to help connect Schneider with Kerr so he can personally thank him for the letter.
The Blue Jays manager said the letter offered both reflection and perspective as Toronto turns the page.
After that 2016 defeat, Kerr’s Warriors went on to win back-to-back NBA championships. Schneider hopes his club can follow a similar path.
“If he can see the good in what we did,” Schneider said, “it kind of gives you a little bit of reassurance that you’re preaching the right things.”
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