Report: Rival execs say Blue Jays open to trading Manoah
Alek Manoah's time in Toronto could be running out.
The Blue Jays are open to trading the right-hander following a contentious season that saw him make just 19 starts, rival executives told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Manoah struggled in 2023 after finishing third in AL Cy Young voting in 2022. He was demoted twice - including a stop at the Florida Complex League - after posting a 5.87 ERA over 87 1/3 innings and didn't pitch after Aug. 10, when he was sent to Triple-A Buffalo.
| Year | IP | ERA | K | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 111.2 | 3.22 | 127 | 1.05 |
| 2022⭐️ | 196.2 | 2.24 | 180 | 0.99 |
| 2023 | 87.1 | 5.87 | 79 | 1.74 |
The Blue Jays would be selling Manoah at a low point, but with the 25-year-old still pre-arb, there would likely be a strong market.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said last month that Manoah received an injection in his shoulder to relieve discomfort, though Atkins also said that numerous tests did not reveal any structural damage and that Manoah decided to receive the injections "on his own."
Right-hander Kevin Gausman told Foul Territory last week that Manoah arrived to spring training with a shoulder issue and "never got in a good spot with his arm and his mechanics."
Atkins has publicly stated that Manoah has not asked for a trade and said the team is moving forward anticipating he will be in the rotation.
"I do feel like he has earned, already, the right to have a strong leg up (in the rotation competition)," Atkins said Nov. 7, according to Sportsnet. "I feel so good about him returning back to the 2021, 2022 version of himself."
Toronto, who is looking to add offense this winter, already has four veteran starters locked into the rotation next season with Gausman, José Berríos, Yusei Kikuchi, and Chris Bassitt. The organization's top prospect, Ricky Tiedemann, projects to pitch in the majors at some point in 2024.