The 2022 season was excellent for Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah.
He posted a 2.24 ERA and won 16 games, being named one of the finalists for the AL Cy Young award.
In 2023, however, everything fell apart.
He was never able to establish any kind of rhythm, and found himself in the Complex League and then in Triple-A to work on his body and his stuff.
He made it back to the bigs, but his overall numbers – 5.87 ERA in 87.1 innings – left a lot to be desired.
Per reports, his attitude wasn’t always the best, either.
The right-hander has reported to Jays camp, and he has his sights set on staying in the majors and helping Toronto win the World Series.
“They don’t give out World Series rings in Triple-A,” he said, per B/R Walk-Off.
Alek Manoah wants that ring pic.twitter.com/zreMp7uVbJ
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) February 16, 2024
Manoah is expected to be given another chance to be a part of Toronto’s rotation.
He is too good to give up on, judging by his performance prior to 2023.
However, he also has some issues to work on, and the hope is that he used the offseason to make strides on all fronts.
Only time, and MLB performance, will tell us whether he is the same pitcher that shocked the world with brilliant games in 2021 and 2022.
For now, it’s best to take a wait-and-see approach and let his actions speak rather than words.
It’s nice to see him shooting for a collective goal (the World Series), though, and if he is right, or “fixed”, Manoah could be a magnificent addition to the Jays’ staff.
The post Alek Manoah Shares A Strong Statement After Dismal 2023 Season appeared first on The Cold Wire.