Who is Alek Manoah?
Alek Manoah is a professional baseball player who currently serves as a pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on January 9, 1998, in Homestead, Florida, United States, Manoah has gained recognition for his exceptional abilities and promising talent.
Manoah attended South Dade Senior High School in Homestead, where he first demonstrated his skills on the baseball field. His impressive fastball and overall pitching repertoire caught the attention of college scouts, leading him to play college baseball for the West Virginia Mountaineers at West Virginia University.
Throughout his college career, Manoah continued to impress with his exceptional command and competitive spirit. His performances positioned him as one of the top collegiate pitchers in the country. In 2019, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 11th overall pick in the MLB Draft.
Manoah began his professional journey in the Blue Jays’ minor league system, where he showcased his dominance on the mound. With his ability to generate strikeouts and a strong fastball complemented by developing secondary pitches, he emerged as a highly regarded prospect. In 2021, Manoah made his MLB debut for the Toronto Blue Jays, making an immediate impact with his pitching skills and composure.
Standing at 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighing around 260 pounds, Manoah possesses a commanding presence on the field. His height and athleticism contribute to his ability to generate power and control in his pitches, making him a formidable force as a pitcher.
As a young talent with immense potential, Alek Manoah is regarded as one of the most promising prospects in professional baseball. His combination of physical attributes, pitching abilities, and determination positions him to have a significant impact on the sport for years to come.
What Happened to Alek Manoah?
Alek Manoah, previously a finalist for the AL Cy Young award in 2022, has recently been sent down to the Florida Complex League by the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite his previous success, Manoah’s performance this year has been disappointing, prompting the team to make the decision in hopes of revitalizing his abilities. However, his struggles have persisted even in the rookie league.
In his first start since the demotion, Manoah’s poor form continued. In fact, his performance in the rookie league was even worse than his previous outings in the major leagues. Over the course of 2.2 innings, Manoah allowed an alarming 11 earned runs, 10 hits, 2 home runs, while striking out 3 batters and walking
It’s important to consider the context of this state. While it is disheartening to see Manoah struggle at this level, it is part of his journey to work on his shortcomings. The Toronto Blue Jays are not overly concerned about his run allowance in the minors, as their focus is on his development and improvement.
Manoah, a 6’6″ right-hander from West Virginia University, had an impressive performance in the Cy Young voting in 2022, positioning him as a promising future ace for the Blue Jays. At only 24 years old, with the support of catcher Alejandro Kirk, everything seemed to be in his favor. He even had the honor of being the Opening Day starter in 2023.
However, his decline has been swift and unexpected. From being a Cy Young Award finalist and an opening-day starter, Manoah’s struggles have led to his demotion to rookie camp, a rare occurrence for a player of his caliber. It is unfortunate that there isn’t a clear explanation for his difficulties that absolves him of blame. Analyzing the numbers reveals where his struggles lie.
Even in the Complex League, Manoah faced challenges. His high ERA of 37.13 in this league further indicates that a return to the majors may not be imminent for him. It is perplexing to witness the decline of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah, who was once a promising young talent and is now a mere shadow of his former self.
His previous seasons in the MLB showcased his dominance, but his performance in 2023 has been far from satisfactory. His record of 1-7 in 13 starts, accompanied by an ERA over 6, forced the Blue Jays to make the decision to send him back to the minor leagues.
In his last start before the demotion, Manoah’s frustration was evident as he attempted to blow a ball foul, highlighting his deteriorating form. However, the Blue Jays didn’t demote him to Triple-A but rather to the “Florida Complex League,” a level of minor league baseball that is considered rookie-level, consisting mostly of players new to professional baseball, including teenagers fresh out of high school.
This unconventional move was likely an attempt to help Manoah regain his confidence by facing less experienced hitters. Unfortunately, this strategy did not yield the desired results. His struggles persisted, and he faced a harsh reality when he was unable to effectively compete against young, inexperienced opponents.
The drastic decline of Manoah’s performance is reminiscent of other notable athletes, such as Rick Ankiel, who faced significant setbacks in their careers. At this point, Manoah might wish that his pitches never reach the plate, preventing batters from capitalizing on them.
It remains to be seen whether Manoah can bounce back from this rough patch. Perhaps he can take inspiration from Ankiel’s journey and explore the possibility of reinventing himself as a position player. However, it is evident that his current approach is not
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Alek Manoah Florida Complex League
Alek Manoah, a Toronto Blue Jays starter, faced a difficult outing in his first game after being sent down to the minors. He gave up a staggering 11 runs in just 2 2/3 innings during a rookie-level Florida Complex League game on Tuesday.
Despite the disappointing performance, Blue Jays manager John Schneider tried to find positives in Manoah’s outing. He mentioned that aspects such as strike-throwing, delivery, tempo, and velocity were encouraging, suggesting that the rest of the performance should be taken with caution.
The Blue Jays made the decision to send Manoah down to the minors on June 6 following his struggles as an All-Star and AL Cy Young finalist in 2022, where he couldn’t even complete the first inning against the Houston Astros.
In the game for the FCL Blue Jays against the Yankees at New York’s minor league complex, the 25-year-old pitcher had a tough time against a lineup consisting mostly of teenagers aged 17 to 19. He allowed 10 hits, including two home runs, and issued two walks.
During the first inning, Manoah gave up an RBI single to Hans Montero, and in the second inning, Roderick Arias hit a three-run homer over the approximately 30-foot center-field batter’s eye. Arias, an 18-year-old player, received a significant signing bonus of $4 million from the Yankees in 2022.
In the second inning, Manoah required 26 pitches, with 15 of them being strikes. However, he couldn’t find his rhythm and gave up six more runs in the third inning, including a two-run homer to right field by Keiner Delgado.
Schneider acknowledged that they didn’t expect a flawless performance from Manoah in the minor leagues and expressed hope that he could build some momentum in his next outing, although the exact timing was uncertain.
Manoah had previously faced criticism from Toronto fans after a dismal performance on June 5, where he allowed six runs and seven hits in just one-third of an inning. This marked his seventh consecutive loss. In the 2021 season, he had an impressive record of 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 starts, but in 2023, he struggled with a 1-7 record and a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts.
Comparing his performance this season to last year, Manoah has allowed 45 runs in 58 innings, a significant increase from the 55 runs he allowed in 196 2/3 innings in 2022. As a rookie in 2021, he had a successful debut, going 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA in 20 starts.
Alek Manoah Stats
SPLITS |
GP |
GS |
CG |
SHO |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 41 | 27 | 27 | 8 | 25 | 25 |
| vs. NL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
| June | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Career Pitching
GP |
GS |
CG |
SHO |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 366.1 | 289 | 144 | 130 | 39 | 133 | 355 |
Alek Manoah Contract
Alek Manoah’s contract with the Toronto Blue Jays extends until the 2028 season, making him a part of the team’s future plans. However, this year has been a challenging one for the 25-year-old pitcher. After an impressive 2022 season where he was a finalist for the AL Cy Young Award, Manoah has struggled to find his form and has been demoted to the Florida Complex League.
In his first start in the Florida Complex League, facing the New York Yankees’ affiliate team, Manoah had a tough outing. He allowed 11 earned runs in just 2.2 innings pitched, highlighting the extent of his struggles.
Despite his recent setbacks, Manoah still has time to regain his form and fulfill his potential as a top pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. His contract keeps him with the team until 2028, with the possibility of becoming an unrestricted free agent at that point. However, his disappointing performances this year raise questions about the likelihood of a significant contract extension in the future.
Looking back at his breakout 2022 season, Manoah showcased his talent and was considered one of the best pitchers in the American League. He finished third in the AL Cy Young voting, with an impressive 16-7 record, a stellar 2.24 ERA, and 180 strikeouts. These achievements earned him his first All-Star selection.
In stark contrast, this year has been a struggle for Manoah. Through 58.0 innings pitched, he has a disappointing 1-7 record and an elevated 6.36 ERA. Given his recent difficulties, it may take some time before he can make a return to the MLB and rediscover his previous success.
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Alek Manoah Salary
Alek Manoah’s salary for the 2023 season with the Toronto Blue Jays is $745,660. As a player under team control, he has the opportunity for arbitration in the next four seasons. However, the uncertainty surrounding his future contract extension arises from his disappointing performances this year.
The underwhelming displays on the field have cast doubt on whether Manoah will secure a substantial and lucrative extension in the coming years.
Alek Manoah Career
Alek Manoah, considered one of the top prospects, was chosen as the 11th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He signed a contract worth $4.55 million and made his professional debut with the Vancouver Canadians in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League on July 27.
In six starts, Manoah displayed a solid performance, recording a 2.65 ERA and 27 strikeouts over 17 innings. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the minor league season was canceled in 2020, preventing Manoah from playing any games.
Moving into the 2021 season, Manoah began with the Buffalo Bisons in Triple-A East. He impressed in his first start by striking out 12 batters over six scoreless innings. Throughout three starts with Buffalo, Manoah displayed excellent form, going 3-0 with a remarkable 0.50 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 18 innings.
On May 27, 2021, Manoah was called up to the major leagues, making his debut for the Toronto Blue Jays against the New York Yankees. He secured a 2-0 win, registering seven strikeouts, two walks, no runs, and two hits over six innings.
In June, he faced a suspension of five games following an incident where he intentionally hit Baltimore Orioles’ Maikel Franco with a pitch. Notably, on July 2, Manoah set a Blue Jays franchise record by recording seven consecutive strikeouts against the Tampa Bay Rays.
During his rookie season, Manoah started 20 games for the Blue Jays, accumulating a 9-2 record, a 3.22 ERA, and 127 strikeouts over 111 2/3 innings. His impressive performance earned him a spot in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, where he pitched a scoreless inning and struck out all three batters he faced.
In 2022, Manoah continued his success, going 16-7 with a remarkable 2.24 ERA in 196 2/3 innings, striking out 180 batters. He also finished third in the Cy Young Award voting, trailing Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox and the eventual winner, Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros.
However, the 2023 season has been a struggle for Manoah. With a 6.36 ERA in his first 13 starts, he has faced significant challenges. In a game against the Houston Astros on June 5, 2023, he had a particularly tough outing, allowing six runs in the first inning and being relieved after recording only one out.
As a result, on June 6, Manoah was demoted to the Florida Complex League. Unfortunately, his first start in the league did not go well, as he gave up 11 earned runs on 10 hits in just 2.2 innings of work.
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