It isn’t simple to make the playoffs when your ace places up an absolute stinker of a season. Nonetheless, the Blue Jays discovered a approach this yr.
Toronto starter Alek Manoah got here into the 2023 with excessive expectations. After ending third in AL Cy Younger voting in 2022, the 25-year-old was anticipated to be on the helm of a harmful and deep Blue Jays pitching rotation.
As a substitute, the No. 11 choose from 2019 was removed from his dominant 2022 type, struggling immensely to the purpose that he was demoted — twice — to the minors.
Manoah was tabbed because the crew’s Opening Day starter, however that efficiency was an indication of issues to come back. He started the yr by permitting 5 runs on 9 hits, together with two residence runs, in simply 3.1 innings, and issues steadily bought worse.
Because the Blue Jays gear up for the MLB playoffs, Manoah will not be with the crew. He final pitched within the majors on Aug. 10, and the righty was shut down in mid-September as a consequence of points along with his knee, again and proper quad.
Nonetheless, make no mistake, wholesome or not, Manoah’s efficiency this yr was not going to make him worthy of being part of the Toronto squad battling in October for a World Sequence title.
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So what occurred with Manoah? The Sporting Information takes a better have a look at the terrible season of the Blue Jays ace.
What occurred to Alek Manoah?
Manoah appeared like a wholly completely different pitcher when he took the mound in 2023.
As talked about above, it is not as if he began off the season effectively after which fell aside. No, Manoah was by no means elite this yr, beginning off the yr on the fallacious foot and by no means regaining his footing.
By means of April and Might, Manoah managed to win only one sport throughout a stretch of 13 begins, compiling a 6.36 ERA and 42 walks throughout that point. It resulted within the Blue Jays optioning him to the Florida Complicated League on June 6 with the hope that he would discover his type.
A month later, Toronto known as him again as much as the majors. Manoah made six begins, throughout which he recorded a 4.91 ERA, 2-2 report and a 1.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was despatched right down to Triple-A on Aug. 11, and didn’t pitch for the Blue Jays the remainder of the season.
There is not one particular factor you could level to and say, “That is why Manoah struggled.” It might have been the accidents, the introduction of the pitch clock this yr, or one thing else that solely Manoah is aware of.
However there isn’t any denying that 2023 went about as poor because it may have for the younger Toronto pitcher.
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Alek Manoah stats 2023
Manoah regressed throughout almost each main statistical class from 2022 to 2023.
He ends his 2023 season with a 3-9 report and 5.87 ERA over 81.1 innings pitched. His stroll share ballooned to 14.2% and his strikeout share went right down to 19%, leading to an unpleasant 1.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Here’s a have a look at how his stats from 2023 evaluate to his earlier two seasons:
| Season | Begins | Document | ERA | WHIP | Innings | Okay/9 | BB/9 | Okay/BB | WAR |
| 2021 | 20 | 9-2 | 3.22 | 1.05 | 111.2 | 10.2 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
| 2022 | 31 | 16-7 | 2.24 | 0.99 | 196.2 | 8.2 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 5.9 |
| 2023 | 19 | 3/9 | 5.87 | 1.74 | 87.1 | 8.1 | 6.1 | 1.3 | -1.1 |
Blue Jays beginning rotation
Even with out Manoah, the Blue Jays boast a tricky beginning rotation.
The highest 4 arms within the rotation — Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi — all completed the common season with sub-4.00 ERAs. Gausman, Berrios and Bassitt all additionally ended with a WAR over 2.0.
| Rank | Pitcher |
| No. 1 | Kevin Gausman |
| No. 2 | Chris Bassitt |
| No. 3 | Jose Berrios |
| No. 4 | Yusei Kikuchi |
| No. 5 | Hyun-Jin Ryu |