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The Toronto Blue Jays and manager John Gibbons are finalizing a multi-year extension and expect to have a deal in place by opening day, sources tell FanRag Sports. This comes just a week after a March 15 report from Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun that the Jays were “extremely optimistic” about an extension getting done.

According to the source, the Blue Jays new front office regime was impressed both by Gibbons’ in-game management and his ability to control the clubhouse. They cited his willingness to let the players be themselves, which has worked well in a clubhouse full of strong personalities.

Gibbons is in his second stint with the team and has posted an overall record of 644-614. He coached the Blue Jays from 2004-2008 but was fired midseason during his fifth year. He rejoined the team as manager again in 2013.

During Gibbons’ second stint, the Blue Jays have gone 339-309 (.523), including 271-221 in the last three years. In 2015, Toronto won the American League East for the first time since going to the World Series in 1993.

The Blue Jays erased a 2-0 deficit in the ALDS and beat the Texas Rangers in five games, but they fell to the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS in six games. This past season, they swept the favored Rangers in the division series, but once again, the Blue Jays couldn’t get passed the ALCS, losing to the Cleveland Indians in five games.

The Blue Jays open the 2017 season on April 3, taking on the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

The Toronto Blue Jays and manager John Gibbons continue to make progress on a contract extension and are hopeful of completing a deal before opening day, but the sides are not yet at the finish line, according to an industry source.

A report by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports on Tuesday said the club and its skipper of the past four years were “finalizing a multi-year extension.”

“It’s common knowledge we’ve been talking about things,” Gibbons told reporters in Sarasota, Fla. Tuesday. “We’ve made progress. Hopefully it all falls into place. These guys have been good to me. No complaints. We’ve been talking about it.”

Sportsnet’s source indicated that things aren’t at that point yet. Regardless, it’s clear that an extension for Gibbons remains a matter of when, not if, as it has been since the sides first raised the topic at the end of last season.

Gibbons' contract expires at the end of this season, so any new deal, even if it only adds one more year, would be a multi-year commitment since it covers 2017 plus 2018.

The length of the extension will be particularly noteworthy as tacking on only one more year would leave the sides in a similar spot next year.

BigLeagueChew wrote:TSN saying it's a 2 year deal with 3rd year option not sure if mutual or team.

BigLeagueChew wrote:Wonder if this mean the Jays are going to build the team for the next few years rather than a rebuild or retool.