SARASOTA, FLA.—The Blue Jays and manager John Gibbons are “finalizing” a multi-year contract extension, according to a report by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

The report says the two sides will have an agreement in place by opening day April 3, when the Jays are in Baltimore to face the Orioles.

But the Jays, in Sarasota Tuesday to face the O’s at their spring training home, were cautious after the report surfaced just before the 1 pm game time.

A Jays spokesman said GM Ross Atkins repeated the same details to Heyman that he did two weeks ago to other reporters in Dunedin when he said the team is “optimistic” about getting a deal done for Gibbons, who ranks second in manager wins on the franchise’s all time list, next to Cito Gaston.

The team also stressed that Gibbons is already under contract (it expires at the end of 2017), so if they sign him, it would technically be a “multi-year” deal, even if the extension runs only through 2018.

The bottom line around the entire Gibbons extension, though, is that both sides seem to want the deal done.

Last month, Gibbons told the Star’s Richard Griffin he was optimistic he’d have a new contract.

“I think we’ll get something done,” Gibbons said.

Gibbons will visit family for two days after the Jays home game Wednesday in Dunedin. The team has an offday Thursday.

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