Just when you thought things couldn't get worse for Toronto Blue Jays' Alek Manoah, he put up an all-time poor performance against the Houston Astros. Allowing six runs and seven hits would be a bad performance if it happened over the course of six or seven innings. Manoah allowed it in just one inning, recording only one out in the process.
This is one of the worst falls from grace in recent MLB history, for a pitcher who is not dealing with an injury. Manoah went from being an All-Star and bona fide Cy Young Award candidate to a player on the verge of being sent down. It is hard to tell if it is a confidence issue or perhaps due to the new pitch clock, but he doesn't look like the same player he was in 2022.
Barstool Baseball shared a comprehensive summary of his disastrous outing on Twitter.
The Houston Astros took full advantage of the poor performance and put the Toronto Blue Jays in a massive hole to start the game. Toronto's pitching staff was supposed to be one of the strengths of this Blue Jays team, but Manoah has become a liability. Even the most patient fans are able to recognize it is more than just a slow start to the season at this point.
If Alek Manoah cannot turn things around, the path to the postseason for the Blue Jays is anything but simple. He was supposed to be their ace, leading them over the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. Now, his spot on the MLB roster is legitimately under risk of being lost. A trip to the minor leagues may be the exact thing he needs to find his game.
The Houston Astros offense is one of the best in baseball when firing on all cylinders, and Manoah was clearly not ready for them. Looking at these statistics one would think Alek Manoah is the fifth starter for the Blue Jays, and fans are letting him hear about it.
The Toronto Blue Jays are seemingly approaching decision time in regards to the future of Manoah.
Is this disastrous performance against Houston Astros the end of Alek Manoah's time with Toronto Blue Jays?
Alek Manoah is a big part of the Blue Jays' future plans, and they need him to bounce back. To facilitate that bounce back, we could certainly see him spend some time in the minor leagues.
It is time for the team to get creative with different ways to get Manoah back to the player he once was.