Blue Jays Send Former Ace Alek Manoah Back Down to Minor Leagues

It’s back to the minors for former Mountaineer turned Blue Jays All-Star pitcher Alek Manoah.

After putting together a season so great Manoah was being labeled as one of the best pitchers across baseball in 2022, Manoah has struggled all throughout 2023. Toronto is once again hoping being sent down can allow Manoah to get back form as the ace type pitcher he was just a season ago.

On Friday, the Blue Jays sent Manoah down to Triple-A Buffalo. This comes a day after he allowed four runs in four innings against the Guardians.

ROSTER MOVES:

🔹 RHP Hagen Danner recalled from Triple-A and will be active tonight

🔹 RHP Alek Manoah optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/3cGabBXasb

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 11, 2023

When Manoah was sent all the way down to the Florida Complex League in June, he was carrying a 6.36 ERA through 13 starts. The WVU product and former AL Cy Young candidate has improved since returning the majors, but is still not close to the overpowering pitcher he has been in MLB since being drafted in the first round out of West Virginia.

Overall throughout his time in MLB this season, Manoah owns a 3-9 record with a 5.87 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP in 87.1 innings pitched.

Just last year, Manoah took his career to another level. In 2022, the 25-year-old carried a 2.24 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and struck out 180 batters in 196.2 innings pitched. Manoah was named an All-Star and started Toronto’s Wild Card Round game.

WVSN’s Griffin Floyd detailed possible factors that could be contributing to Manoah’s issues in the piece below.

Alek Manoah Shelled in Rookie Ball: Inside the Ace’s Struggles

Our Mike Asti also asked Schneider about Manoah after a game earlier in the season.