Manoah's struggles creating potential opening in Angels' rotation

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- There could be a competition for the fifth spot in the Angels’ rotation, as right-hander Alek Manoah struggled for a second straight start on Wednesday against the White Sox.

Manoah, who signed a one-year deal worth $1.95 million this offseason, was projected to be one of the club’s five starting pitchers but has put himself in a tough spot with back-to-back subpar outings. He walked five and gave up five runs over 2 1/3 innings against the Athletics on Thursday and followed it up by allowing four runs on eight hits in four frames against Chicago.

Manoah, an All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2022, still has two Minor League options, so the Angels could send him to Triple-A Salt Lake if he doesn’t get on track before Opening Day in Houston on March 26. But Manoah said he was still encouraged by his outing because he had to battle and held the White Sox to 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

“I compete every day for everything,” Manoah said. “So whatever [GM] Perry [Minasian] has in mind for me, whatever the coaching staff has in mind for me, my job is to compete every time I take the rubber, to go out there and throw the [heck] out of the ball. So I’m going to keep doing that.”

Manoah still remains the favorite, but right-hander Jack Kochanowicz has pitched well with a 2.08 ERA with one walk in 8 2/3 innings this spring to make himself a candidate for the fifth starter role, while No. 5 prospect George Klassen has also excelled with a 2.25 ERA and nine strikeouts in eight innings.

“He's still definitely in the mix,” manager Kurt Suzuki said of Manoah. “We haven't decided on anything. There's a lot of guys still going, still pitching.”

Manoah’s control wasn’t as big of an issue this time, although he needed 81 pitches to record 12 outs and threw a wild pitch. He also gave up some hard contact, including a three-run homer to Austin Hays on an 0-2 slider in the first, a double to Korey Lee on a 0-1 sinker in the second, a solo homer to Colson Montgomery on a first-pitch fastball in the third, and a double off the wall to Tristan Peters on a 1-1 slider in the fourth.

“It was definitely a battle,” Manoah said. “First inning, get punched in the mouth. But I thought it was great. Thought I responded well. Kept attacking.”

His velocity was also a bit down, as his fastball averaged 91.6 miles per hour after it averaged 93.3 mph in 2024, his last season in the Majors before he underwent Tommy John surgery. Manoah made 10 rehab appearances in the Minors last year but didn’t pitch in the Majors with the Blue Jays.

Manoah, though, still has time to turn things around and did look better in his first two outings, when he opened his spring with five scoreless innings. But it is concerning that he’s walked 10 batters in 11 1/3 innings in Cactus League play.

“Right now, it's kind of a little bit of a process and result kind of thing,” said Manoah, who has worked to tweak his mechanics. “We know that if we continue to hammer out the process, the end result will be great, but at the same time, you have to go out there and compete.”