The starting pitcher for the Blue Jays, Alek Mason, is having trouble in his first spring training game.
After a disappointing season with the Blue Jays, he went into spring training hoping for a fresh start, but it didn’t take long for his old demons to reappear on the mound.
In the exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday afternoon, the 26-year-old right-hander made his spring debut. It would be a huge understatement to say that the outing did not go as expected considering it was his first appearance since being optioned to the minors in August.
Manoah only threw 17 of his 38 pitches for strikes, giving up four runs on three hits, a walk, and three hits on batters. He didn’t pitch the full two innings he was supposed to, pulling one out in favour of reliever Luis Quinones.
After a disappointing season with the Blue Jays, Alek Manoah entered spring training hoping for a new beginning, but it didn’t take long for his old demons to reappear on the mound.
In the exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday afternoon, the 26-year-old right-hander made his spring debut. It would be a huge understatement to say that the outing did not go as expected considering it was his first appearance since being optioned to the minors in August.
Manoah only threw 17 of his 38 pitches for strikes, giving up four runs on three hits, a walk, and three hits on batters. He didn’t pitch the full two innings he was supposed to, pulling one out in favour of reliever Luis Quinones.
“Instead of when it matters, you want to have starts where things don’t feel the best right now. Manoah told reporters in Florida, including MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, “some of that inexpensive experience.” “I’m just going to keep attacking every day.”
After giving up a leadoff single to Riley Greene, Manoah hit Spencer Torkelson and Mark Canha to load the bases with no outs. This was the beginning of Manoah’s problems. The damage was limited by a timely double play, but the Tigers scored two runs in the first inning, one of which came from a double by Colt Keith.
The second saw the return of the command issues. After hitting Carson Kelly to start the frame, he gave a walk to put runners on first and second. Torkelson then delivered a 110 mph double to centre field to exact revenge for the first inning. Manoah’s run ended when two more runners crossed the finish line to score.
It’s nothing new for the 2019 first-round draft pick to hit batters. Even in his best seasons (2021–2022), Manoah led the majors in hit batters with thirty-one. Tuesday’s low strike-to-ball ratio should be more worrying after a season in which he nearly doubled to 6.1 walks per nine innings.
Although Manoah’s first springtime appearance was a setback, the Jays shouldn’t panic just yet. A month is all he has to iron out the kinks. Furthermore, there isn’t much competition for the final spot in the rotation because recent signing Yariel Rodriguez needs some time to get used to his new surroundings. Bowden Francis and Mitch White are the backup choices
