LOS ANGELES – Former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah, now a member of the Los Angeles Angels, asserted he was a significant contributor to the Blue Jays’ 2023 playoff run, despite being released by the team prior to the postseason. Manoah made the comments in a recent interview with The Athletic, as he attempts to revive his career with the Angels.
“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” Manoah told The Athletic. “I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.” He added that he maintained close relationships with his former teammates, stating, “Those are all my friends. A lot of those guys I called my brothers. I rooted for them 100%. I wanted them to win it all.”
Manoah’s time with the Blue Jays ended abruptly in September 2023, after the team cut ties with the right-hander before the playoffs. At the time, Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins did not provide a specific explanation for the decision, despite Manoah having started a playoff game for the club in 2022. Manoah had been pitching for the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo prior to his release.
The release followed a challenging period for Manoah, who experienced a significant decline in performance after a strong 2022 season where he finished third in American League Cy Young Award voting. In 2023, he struggled and was demoted to the minor leagues. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024, further derailing his progress.
Following his release, Manoah was claimed off waivers by the Atlanta Braves, but did not appear in any games for the franchise. He subsequently became a free agent and signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract with the Angels, a deal that is fully guaranteed.
Manoah expressed a desire to reshape the narrative surrounding his career during his time with the Angels. “I feel like some narratives can be created on their own,” he told The Athletic. “At the end of the day, it’s just baseball, right? I’ve been through a lot of tougher s*** in life besides baseball. Just keeping that perspective and understanding that, at the end of the day, struggling in baseball is a first-world problem. Trusting that every door that closes is closing for a reason. Every door that’s opening is ready to blossom.”
Manoah reported to Angels spring training and has reportedly shown increased velocity on his fastball compared to last year. He acknowledged the time away from the major leagues, stating, “I look up and it’s been two years since I’ve been in a big-league game. It doesn’t really hit me hard. I stay to the routine, I stay to the work every day. I trust the injuries, and I trust some of the down stuff is only going to make my platform bigger. It’s going to make my voice a lot bigger for people that go through a lot of tough stuff.”
