Fantasy News

• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Set for another rehab start

  Rotowire Apr 22, 2024

  Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Manoah (shoulder) will make his next rehab start for Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday or Thursday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. In his third and most recent rehab start Friday with Buffalo, Manoah covered 5.2 innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits and no walks while striking out five. Over his last two rehab appearances, Manoah has shown dramatic improvement with his control, as he's issued just one free pass in nine innings. Schneider noted that he liked Manoah's fastball command and slider movement following Friday's outing, and if the right-hander can deliver another positive showing this week with Buffalo, his next start could come in the big-league rotation. Manoah has been on the 15-day injured list all season due to right shoulder inflammation, which kept him out of most of spring training.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Gives up eight hits in rehab start

  Rotowire Apr 14, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) struck out four and was charged with four earned runs on eight hits and one walk over 3.1 innings in his second minor-league rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Syracuse. Manoah was far from dominant Saturday, but he still took a big step forward while shifting his rehab assignment to a higher level of competition. In his first outing April 7 with Single-A Dunedin, Manoah retired only five of 16 batters while throwing just 26 strikes on 58 pitches, but he did a better job of finding the zone Saturday. He still spotted only 48 of his 78 pitches for strikes, though, so despite looking to be fully ramped up from a workload standpoint, Manoah will probably need to make further improvements with his command and control before he returns from the 15-day injured list and receives a look in Toronto's rotation. Yariel Rodriguez should stick around as the Blue Jays' No. 5 starting pitcher for the time being.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Command issues return in MiLB start

  Rotowire Apr 7, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) retired only five of the 16 batters he faced in his rehab start Sunday for Single-A Dunedin while allowing seven runs (six earned) on five hits and four walks. He struck out two batters. Coming off a disastrous 2023 season in which he saw his velocity dip to go along with major declines in his command and control, Manoah has yet to show any signs of re-emerging as one of the game's more promising young pitchers. After issuing one walk and hitting three batters in his lone Grapefruit League start Feb. 27, Manoah was shut down with shoulder inflammation soon thereafter and opened the season on the 15-day injured list. He was cleared to begin his rehab assignment Sunday but once again showed an inability to put the ball where he wanted. He threw 16 of his first 18 pitches for balls and walked the first four batters he faced, finishing the day with only 26 strikes on his 58 pitches. Manoah will need to display major improvement in his subsequent starts in the minors to put himself back in consideration for a spot in the Toronto rotation once he completes his rehab assignment.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Beginning assignment in Single-A

  Rotowire Apr 3, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Single-A Dunedin, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports. Manoah pitched a three-inning simulated game Tuesday at the Jays' spring training facility without any issues, and he's slated to up his workload to four frames in his first rehab start. If Manoah's Single-A outing goes well, his assignment may move to a higher-level affiliate, but the 26-year-old is likely still several rehab appearances away from making his season debut with Toronto.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Moves to IL

  Rotowire Mar 28, 2024

  The Blue Jays placed Manoah (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list Thursday. Manoah is opening the season on the IL while he recovers from right shoulder inflammation, which kept him from pitching in the Grapefruit League after he made his spring debut Feb. 27. He was able to throw a two-inning, 34-pitch simulated game Wednesday, so his next step could be heading out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Manoah will likely require multiple starts in the minors to get fully stretched out before the Blue Jays consider activating him from the IL and including him in the rotation.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Builds up to 34 pitches in sim game

  Rotowire Mar 27, 2024

  Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Manoah (shoulder) completed a two-inning, 34-pitch simulated game Wednesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah has two minor-league options remaining, but Schneider noted that the Blue Jays are likely to stash the right-hander on the 15-day injured list rather than sending him to Triple-A Buffalo. Coming off a confounding 2023 season in which his command and control completely betrayed him, Manoah may not be guaranteed a rotation spot once he moves past his right shoulder injury -- an improbable development for a young pitcher who performed as a frontline starter in 2021 and 2022. He'll likely steadily build up his arm at the Blue Jays' spring training facility before joining a minor-league affiliate for a rehab assignment. Once Manoah is deemed to be healthy, his performance on his rehab assignment as well as the state of the Toronto rotation will likely determine what role he fills for the big club.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Completes live BP

  Rotowire Mar 23, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) threw 23 pitches in a live batting practice session Friday, Rob Longley of The Toronto Sun reports. The right-hander's fastball reportedly touched 97 mph in his first live session since going down with a sore shoulder early in camp. He will begin the season on the injured list, and Manoah said he's uncertain what his next step will be. Bowden Francis was named to the Blue Jays' rotation and another spot could open up if Kevin Gausman (shoulder) does not gain clearance for the start of the season.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Slated for live batting practice

  Rotowire Mar 21, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) will throw a live batting practice session Friday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. It will be his first time facing hitters since he came down with right shoulder soreness at the beginning of the month. Manoah will begin the season on the injured list, but there won't be a timetable for his potential return until he's able to ramp things up without setbacks.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Playing catch again Tuesday

  Rotowire Mar 5, 2024

  Manoah (shoulder) will play catch for the second day in a row Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah resumed throwing Monday after a brief shutdown period with right shoulder soreness, and it's a good sign that he's feeling well enough to throw again the next day. Manoah still has numerous hoops to jump through and faces a tall task to be ready by Opening Day.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Dealing with shoulder soreness

  Rotowire Mar 2, 2024

  Manoah felt soreness in his shoulder during a bullpen session Friday and will not start Sunday against Boston, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah said he didn't recover properly following his last spring training start and had to end Friday's session early due to the discomfort in his shoulder. An MRI didn't reveal any structural damage, which lowers the risk of a long-term absence, but the Blue Jays will push back Manoah's next Grapefruit League appearance and approach his injury on a day-to-day basis.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Trimmer to begin spring

  Rotowire Feb 15, 2024

  Manoah threw off a mound Thursday and appears to have lost significant weight during the offseason, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. The right-hander was downright awful for most of 2023 and ended the season dealing with shoulder issues that required injections to reduce soreness and inflammation. Manoah seems to have taken his offseason program seriously though, and he worked off a mound for the first time this spring without any apparent issues. A bounce-back performance from the 2019 first-round pick is key for the Blue Jays this year.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Injections were pitcher's idea

  Rotowire Oct 10, 2023

  Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins told reporters over the weekend that the injections Manoah was given in his right shoulder late in the season were initiated by the pitcher, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports. "It was his decision," Atkins said. "We supported him. He made the decision on his own to move in that direction. There were no structural issues." The GM also acknowledged that Manoah "disagreed with the decision" to option him on both occasions, which "created some frustration." However, Atkins also noted that Manoah has not asked to be traded and the GM is "very much looking forward to him being back in our rotation" next season. While it seems as though Manoah might need to mend some fences with the organization, his primary concern will be to figure out what happened in 2023 and rectifying it.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Likely shut down for 2023

  Rotowire Sep 12, 2023

  Manoah is unlikely to pitch again this season, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo a month ago and was cleared of any health issues last week after having testing done and meeting with multiple specialists. However, the righty hasn't thrown off the mound in a month and one source told Nicholson-Smith that Manoah's lingering health concerns have led to him prioritizing rest and recovery. Jeff Blair of Sportsnet.ca reported on his "Blair and Barker" podcast that Manoah never reported to Buffalo after being optioned to Triple-A, in large part because he was upset about the Blue Jays' decision to demote him. Manoah and the Blue Jays look as though they will need to repair their relationship over the offseason, not to mention the work the 25-year-old has ahead of him as he looks to bounce back from a dreadful 2023 campaign.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Cleared of any health issues

  Rotowire Aug 24, 2023

  Manoah has joined Triple-A Buffalo to be built back up after a wide range of medical tests cleared him of any major structural issues, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah hasn't pitched since being optioned to Buffalo nearly two weeks ago, and we now know it's because he was going through a battery of tests to see if anything physical has contributed to his 5.87 ERA and 1.74 WHIP this season. No red flags were found, though, so he'll be thrown into Buffalo's rotation as he looks to get back on track. It's too soon to write Manoah off for the long haul, but he certainly can't be counted on by the Blue Jays or fantasy managers for the rest of 2023.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Next steps undetermined

  Rotowire Aug 19, 2023

  Manoah has yet to pitch for Triple-A Buffalo since being demoted eight days ago, with the Blue Jays still working out when he'll return to the mound, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. Manoah isn't dealing with any reported injuries this season but has seen his effectiveness completely evaporate, going from a 2.24 ERA and 0.99 WHIP last season to a 5.87 ERA and 1.74 WHIP in 2023. He's been demoted on two separate occasions, and the Blue Jays are seemingly in no rush to get him back in the big-league rotation. It's hard to count on him even returning at all this season, let alone returning and pitching at a high level. Perhaps the patient approach the Jays are taking helps him return to viability next season.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Optioned to Triple-A

  Rotowire Aug 11, 2023

  Manoah was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on Friday, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. After getting tagged for four runs in four innings Thursday against Cleveland, Manoah will once again return to the minors in order to get back on track. The right-hander was optioned all the way down to the Florida Complex League in early June to work on his mechanics, and he's put up a 4.91 ERA and 1.43 WHIP through 29.1 innings since returning to the major-league rotation. Hagen Danner was recalled from Buffalo in a corresponding move.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Allows one run in no-decision

  Rotowire Jul 30, 2023

  Manoah did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks over 4.1 innings against the Angels. He struck out six. Manoah hit Shohei Ohtani with a pitch in the opening frame but managed to strike out the other three batters he faced to get out of the inning unscathed. The right-hander would then hurl three more scoreless innings before also beaning Taylor Ward with the bases loaded to drive home the first run for either team on the afternoon. Manoah would not make it out of the fifth inning, but with Saturday's performance he's now allowed one or fewer runs in two of his last four starts. However, he's also posted a 12:12 K:BB over his last three outings.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Strong outing in return

  Rotowire Jul 8, 2023

  Manoah (2-7) earned the win Friday, allowing one run on five hits over six innings in a 12-2 win over the Tigers. He struck out eight and didn't issue a walk. Manoah struggled to start the year and was sent to the Florida Complex League in early June to get right. He slowly worked his way back to Toronto's rotation and pitched at the big-league level Friday for the first time since June 5. It was one of the right-hander's better starts of the campaign, as he struck out a season-high eight batters and completed six innings for just the third time in 14 appearances. Manoah's 5.91 ERA and 1.80 WHIP still need a lot of work, but the 2019 first-round pick's performance versus the Tigers was encouraging. Manoah's next start is scheduled for after the All-Star break.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Called up ahead of start Friday

  Rotowire Jul 7, 2023

  Manoah was called up from Double-A New Hampshire on Friday and will start against the Tigers. As expected, Manoah will make his return to the big-league rotation Friday. The 25-year-old was sent down to the Florida Complex League in early June and has slowly worked his way back to Toronto's roster. Manoah made one start with New Hampshire, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters against Portland on Sunday. Over 13 major-league outings, he's struggled to a bloated 6.36 ERA and 1.90 WHIP with a 7.4 K/9 ratio, which is the lowest of his three-year MLB career.

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• Blue Jays' Alek Manoah: Wednesday's Waiver Wire Targets

  Rotowire Jul 5, 2023

  The Blue Jays announced they will recall Alek Manoah to start Friday against the Tigers, a relatively quick return after Manoah was sent down to the minors following an absolutely disastrous start to the season. The Blue Jays sent Manoah down to their Spring Training complex to work on things, and he looked much improved in a Double-A start last week, striking out 10 over five one-run innings. That was apparently enough to satisfy the organization, and while I think skepticism is definitely warranted about Manoah's likely performance moving forward, I do absolutely view him as a must-roster pitcher now that he's back. There's no guarantee that the mechanical tweaks Manoah made away from the big-league club will end up being enough to fix him, but there just aren't many pitchers available with this kind of upside on waivers at any point during the season. Remember, Manoah had a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts last season and was a high-end SP2 for Fantasy coming into the season. If he rediscovers that form, he could be a huge difference maker in the second half.

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