Alek Manoah Got Rocked In His First MLB Start Since Last August, As His Career Nose Dive Continues

hubbs5/06/2024 2:00 PM

Mitchell Layton. Getty Images.

We are currently witnessing a Rick Ankiel situation in Toronto and it couldn't be happening to a better guy.

Prior to today, Alek Manoah had not pitched in a big league game since last August. If you're new to this saga, the former Cy Young contender's 2023 season went completely haywire, as he posted a 6.36 ERA over his initial 13 starts. That resulted in him being optioned to the minors to try and work on his stuff in hopes to bring back the confidence he used to instill at the big league level. After a month in the minors, which included getting obliterated by the Yankees rookie ball team…

..he returned to the Blue Jays only to once again struggle. Manoah was again sent down to AAA in August, but reacted about as bad as you could to the news. He never pitched again in 2023. Better lucky next year.

Well, it's next year! If you were looking for positive news, go somewhere else. Manoah began the season on the IL with shoulder inflammation and then proceeded to get rocked in the minors as he rehabbed. In five minor league starts he posted an 8.69 ERA, although in his last start he pitched very well (6IP 1ER 2BB 12K) going against Paul Skenes. Maybe he found something? His quotes leading up to today seemed to allude to that.

(CBS) "Sometimes, when you're rehabbing, you think so much about your body feeling good. And when you're struggling, you spend so much time trying to control little things," Manoah told Sportsnet Saturday. "But I've finally got to a point where I feel really great and my mechanics are in a good spot. Now, it's just about going out there and competing and playing baseball."

With his IL clock nearing an end and the Jays without a 5th starter, it was time to see if he turned a page. I'm here to report he did not.

Final line: 4IP | 7R | 6ER | 4BB | 6K | 2HR | 92P | 52 strikes

In the words of Shaq, "aw damn." Maybe not enough pressure in those tires there Alek? Since that arrogant, loud, cocky asshole called Gerrit Cole the biggest cheater in baseball history here are his numbers.

Not to toot my own horn, but I predicted with the installation of the pitch clock that Manoah's hefty frame would come back to bite him. It's the most right I'll ever be about anything. Did I ever in a million years expect this though? Heavens no, but it's common sense that if you make a heavier guy work faster, he'll tire out quicker, making him less efficient in the long run.

Now I can't sit here and say the pitch clock is the sole reason for this guy's demise, but it for sure was a catalyst in developing the yips or throwing his whole operation out of whack. His control is gone and nowhere to be found. In the first inning today he walked the bases loaded in a 25+ pitch inning. Last year he issued 59 free passes in just 87.1 innings. When he does find the zone he gets rocked like in the Winker at bat above.

It's amazing to watch him free fall like this. If he wasn't such a dickhead and a villain to my favorite team I'd feel bad, but combine that with him being a Blue Jay and their whole fanbase being insufferable? Yeah I don't care to see him ever succeed again. It is crazy to think about it though. He's 26 years old and only two years removed from a DOMINANT 2022 season when he finished 3rd in the AL Cy Young voting. He was poised to be the face of their rotation for years to come. Now? Does he ever become even an average pitcher again? There were some positives today with his velo and movement, but that control is a nightmare and will prevent him from any kind of success until it's fixed. 52 strikes out of 92 pitches won't get it done. So far in his many attempts to right the ship, he's still a complete shell of himself.