This Blue Jay is another step closer to his big league return

Alek Manoah hasn't pitched in the big leagues in over a year. May 29 2024 was the last time the hulking right-hander threw a ball in a MLB contest for the Toronto Blue Jays. It was that day when he lasted just 1.2 innings on the mound before he was removed due to an injury that has kept him sidelined every since.

But throughout the 2024 offseason and into the beginning of 2025, there was a goal line in sight for the 27-year-old former first round draft pick. The goal was to get back to pitching for the Blue Jays before the end of 2025. Time is ticking and it may come right down to the wire, but Manoah was reinstated from the 60-day IL by the team on Thursday afternoon. He was then optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.

What this means is that Manoah's rehab is officially over. He's done working to overcome that injury and is instead working on making sure his stuff can play, once again, against the best hitters in the world. He has already made five appearances for the Bisons and has gotten stronger with every outing. He's gotten into the sixth inning in each of his last three appearances and has allowed two earned runs or less each time. He's also racked up 13 strikeouts with seven walks in those last three games.

Unfortunately for Manoah even as he gets stronger and his stuff gets better, the Blue Jays appear to be set in their rotation and are actually already six-arms deep if you count Eric Lauer as a swing man out of the bullpen. They also remain at the top of the AL East division with a record of 84-62 (following Wednesdays win) and their magic numbers to clinch a playoff spot and the division title are shrinking every day. But these games are so crucial that it is unlikely they would want to disrupt their current mix to give Manoah an opportunity to start, unless they have that division title locked down.

The Blue Jays have already tried a six-man rotation and gave some starters over a week off in between starts and while they may have appreciated the rest, they lost some momentum as the results weren't great. Manoah's goals of pitching for Toronto in 2025 are still an achievable target and he has done everything he can in his power to make it a reality. But barring some unforeseen circumstances, it appears as if he'll have to rely on his teammates to get over that final hurdle.