CLEVELAND — Mark Shapiro's baseball life has been with the Indians. He rose through their front office, helped build them into winners and directed their stadium renovation. He did it all, but fell short of a World Series title.
He'll chase that pursuit in Toronto.
Shapiro, who has had several prominent roles in nearly 24 years with Cleveland, will become the Blue Jays' president and CEO following this season. The 48-year-old Shapiro calls this a "unique opportunity."
He will replace Toronto CEO Paul Beeston, who is retiring. The AL East-leading Blue Jays, who have swung for the fences and beefed up their roster to make the playoffs, have been looking for a top executive for months and feel they've landed one of the best in Shapiro.