On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays decided that they will send down struggling ace Alek Manoah. Manoah will be sent to the Florida Complex League per an announcement from the team on Twitter.
The move to option Manoah down to the FCL was part of several moves the team made.
ROSTER MOVES:
RHP Chris Bassitt reinstated from Paternity List
INF Santiago Espinal reinstated from 10-day IL
RHP Bowden Francis selected to Major League Roster
RHP Jay Jackson and INF Ernie Clement optioned to Triple-A
RHP Alek Manoah optioned to Florida… pic.twitter.com/r4rtfqzboV — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) June 6, 2023
Manoah, a 2022 AL All-Star selection, has struggled mightily this season. Through 13 starts, Manoah posted a 6.36 ERA in 58.0 innings pitched. He posted a 1-7 record, 48 strikeouts, 42 walks, and 11 home runs.
His HR/FB ratio skyrocketed from 7.1 percent last season to 14.9 percent this season. Also, his chase rates have decreased precipitously, dropping from 34.7 percent last year to 28.6 percent this year. When you consider his swinging-strike percentage also dipped from 11.2 percent to 8.5 percent this year, you can only guess as to what’s gone down. He’s just not getting batters to swing and miss or even get out. When batters hit Manoah this year, they hit him hard.
It’s a tough blow for Alek Manoah and the Blue Jays, who’ve dealt with the rigors of the competitive AL East. They’re 33-28, a record that would lead the AL Central, but sit in fourth place, 9.5 games back of first-place Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays are also three games back of a Wild Card spot. We’ll see if the Jays and if Manoah can get right to try and turn the ship around.