Blue Jays could face former first round draft pick Alek Manoah with Angels in town

Alex Manoah was destined to become the next great ace of the Toronto Blue Jays. A Rookie of the Year contender in 2021, the stout right-hander finished third in Cy Young voting the following season as a 24-year-old. Greatness was sure to follow.

Until it wasn't. Manoah completely fell apart after reaching those lofty heights, even getting demoted to the Florida Complex League in 2023 as a last resort. He was worth -1.4 WAR between his final two seasons with the Blue Jays, missing most of 2024 and 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

He was mercifully allowed to seek employment elsewhere this past offseason, and it was the Los Angeles Angels who came calling with a guaranteed one-year pact. Manoah missed out on their Opening Day roster while tending to a finger injury, but he's been called up to the big leagues for the first time since 2024... just in time for a weekend series in Toronto.

Alex Manoah's triumphant return to majors will be overshadowed by his awkward return to Toronto

Let's make one thing clear right off the bat: Manoah isn't expected to start against the Jays this weekend. The Angles have Reid Detmers, Jack Kochanowicz, and José Soriano lined up to go over the next three games; barring an undisclosed injury to any of that trio, Manoah is going to be in the bullpen.

It's also possible that he doesn't even survive the entire series. He's reportedly just filling in as a long man while the Angels shuffle their bullpen around.

That being said, he has to pitch this weekend, right? The narrative around his return to Toronto after going from franchise savior to castoff would make for must-watch television, especially after he bizarrely tried to insert himself into the Jays' World Series run that happened entirely without him.

For those wondering about his recent performance, Manoah is still trying to salvage what remains of his career. He did record a 2.97 ERA in Triple-A Buffalo last year before being released, but that came attached to an unsightly 5.93 FIP. He's only pitched once in Single-A on a rehab assignment this season, and he was rocked, allowing six runs in 4 1/3 innings.

The 28-year-old was also an abject disaster in spring training with the Angels, posting a 9.39 ERA across five starts while walking more hitters than he struck out. His 2022 form is all but a fading memory.

In what's been a difficult season for both the Blue Jays and Angles thus far, Manoah's return to Toronto is perhaps the most intriguing storyline this series could have provided. If he does take the mound, the reception from the home crowd figures to be mixed, with a fair bit of jeers sprinkled in amongst those who haven't forgotten his early career highlights.

If nothing else, it would make for some great baseball trivia if Manoah's first pitch for a team besides the Blue Jays comes against them.

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