Alek Isaac Manoah...Brother to Erik Manoah Jr. who was drafted by the Mets in 2014 and joined the Angels organization after a trade in 2016... Works out of Erik’s Miami gym in the offseason...Attended South Dade High School in his hometown of Homestead, FL...Now hosts an annual baseball camp there every January...Went on to pitch for West Virginia University...Posted a 2.81 ERA with 249 strikeouts in 218.0 innings over three seasons...Selected 11th overall by the Blue Jays in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft, the second-highest pitcher taken in the draft behind LHP Nick Lodolo of the Reds (sixth overall)...Ranked by Baseball America as Toronto’s fifth-best prospect in 2020 and listed at seventh going into the 2021 season...Since entering the league in 2021, has held opposing right-handed hitters to a .182 AVG, the sixth-best mark among qualified hurlers.
2023
Was the Opening Day starter for the Blue Jays on Mach 30 at STL...Took a no-decision that day, giving up five runs over 3.1 innings... At 25 years and 80 days old, became the fourth-youngest Opening Day starter in team history (Drew Hutchison - 24.227 in 2015; Todd Stottlemyre - 24.324 in 1990; Marcus Stroman 24.338 in 2016)... Earned his first win of the year on April 5 at KC, tossing 7.0 frames of one-hit, shutout ball with four walks and five strikeouts... Took a no-decision in the team’s Home Opener on April 11 vs. DET, giving up three runs over 4.1 innings...Became the 5th pitcher in team history to pitch the club’s Season Opener and then their Home Opener, joining Jim Clancy (1981), Jimmy Key (1989), Marcus Stroman (2016), and Hyun Jin Ryu (2020)... Threw 7.0 shutout frames on April 22 at NYY, scattering two hits and a walk while recording five strikeouts... Made a start with Double-A New Hampshire on July 2 vs. POR, tossing 5.0 innings of one-run ball with three hits, three walks, and 10 strikeouts... Picked up his second win of the year on July 7 at DET in his return from the Minors...Threw 6.0 frames of one-run ball with five hits, no walks and a season-high eight strikeouts... Notched his third win of the year on Aug. 4 at BOS, giving up three runs over 6.2 innings (6H, 2BB, 5K)...Was his fourth quality start of the season, and his longest outing since a 7.0-inning effort on April 22 at NYY.
2022
Finished third in American League Cy Young voting with 87 points, trailing Justin Verlander (210) and Dylan Cease (97)...Earned his first career All-MLB First Team selection...Named an All-Star for the first time in his career...Pitched a scoreless second inning in the Midsummer Classic, notching three punchouts and a hit batter on 18 pitches (13 strikes)...Joined Dave Stieb as the only pitchers in franchise history to strike out at least three batters in a single All-Star Game (Stieb - 4K in 1983)...His 25 quality starts tied with Yu Darvish for second most in the Majors, trailing only Framber Valdez’s 26...Ranked third among qualified AL pitchers in both ERA (2.24) and wins (16)...Also ranked fourth in the AL in innings pitched (196.2), fourth in WHIP (0.99), and fifth in opponents’ batting average (.202)...Became the sixth AL pitcher since 1920 to turn in a sub-1.00 WHIP under age 25...His 0.99 WHIP was the best single-season mark in franchise history, ahead of Roger Clemens (1.03 in 1997), and his 2.24 ERA marked the second-best in team history, behind Clemen’s 2.05 in 1997...Held right-handed hitters to a .159 AVG, second best in the AL and third in MLB (Cristian Javier - .147; Spencer Strider - .156)...Tossed six innings of one-hit, shutout ball in his season debut on April 11 at NYY, walking four batters while fanning seven...Improved to 4-0 on April 28 vs. BOS as he threw seven shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk while punching out seven batters...Won each of his 12 starts from Aug. 23, 2021-April 28, 2022, tied for the second-longest streak in franchise history (Roy Halladay - 14 in 2003)...Gave up 3R/2ER on seven hits over six innings with no walks and a season-high nine strikeouts on May 7 at LAA...Moved to 5-1 on the season May 21 vs. CIN, throwing eight innings of one-run ball, scattering seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts…The eight frames matched a career high set on Sept. 13, 2021 vs. TB...Tossed six innings of one-run ball on May 3 vs. NYY...Lowered his career ERA to 2.84, the lowest ERA through 25 starts in franchise history (2nd: Juan Guzmán - 2.97)...Picked up his sixth win on June 2 vs. CWS, beginning the day with seven scoreless innings, eventually giving up three runs in the eighth to finish with a line of 7.2IP, 6H, 3ER, BB, and 5K on a season-high 102 pitches (68 strikes)...Retired 16 consecutive batters from the last out of the first through the sixth inning...Won his eighth game of the year on June 13 vs. BAL, tossing six scoreless frames with a hit, a walk, and seven strikeouts...Became the seventh player in the modern era (since 1901) to win at least 17 of his first 20 career decisions as a starter (17-3) and the first since Vida Blue went 17-3 from 1969-1971...Picked up his 11th win July 23 at BOS, throwing six frames of one-run ball with seven hits, no walks, and seven strikeouts...Earned his 20th win in his 39th career game, becoming the second-fastest in Blue Jays history to reach the mark (1st: Juan Guzman - 38 games)...Took the loss on July 29 vs. DET, giving up four runs over 5.1 innings...Was removed from the game with a right elbow contusion after a Jonathan Schoop comebacker...Earned his 14th win on Sept. 7 at BAL, throwing a career-high-tying eight frames of one-run ball (3H, BB, 5K)...Picked up his 15th win Sept. 24 at TB...Tossed seven shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts...His 303 strikeouts were the most in franchise history by a player in his first 50 career games (2nd: Juan Guzmán - 279)...Threw his eighth straight quality start to end his regular season on Sept. 30 vs. BOS, shutting out the BoSox for six innings on two hits (2BB, 4K)...Extended his scoreless innings streak to 15.0 frames...Allowed just six earned runs over 54.0 innings of work across his last eight starts for a 1.00 ERA, a .165 AVG, and a 0.87 WHIP (31H, 2HR, 16BB, 49K)...Named AL Pitcher of the Month for September, the first such award of his career...Went 4-0 across six starts while posting a 0.88 ERA (4 ER/41.0 IP), the best in a single month ever by a Blue Jay (2nd: Roger Clemens - 0.89 in July of 1997), with a 0.85 WHIP and a .162 AVG (23H, 12BB, 33K)...Made his first career postseason start in Game 1 of the ALWC on Oct. 7 vs. SEA...Was the seventh pitcher in team history to start a playoff game under the age of 25...Allowed four runs on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings with four strikeouts.
2021
Named Toronto’s Rookie of the Year by the Toronto Chapter of the BBWAA as the Blue Jays went 16-4 in his 20 starts... His 3.22 season ERA was tied with Aaron Sanchez (2015) for the second-lowest by a rookie in team history, trailing only Juan Guzman’s 2.99 ERA in 1991 (min. 10 starts)... Led MLB rookies (min. 10 starts) in WHIP (1.05), opponents’ average (.192), and opponents’ OPS (.604), while 2nd in ERA, 3rd in K rate (27.7%) and 4th in SO/9 (10.24)...Became the fourth pitcher aged 23 or younger to average at least 10 strikeouts per nine innings in his debut season, joining Mark Prior (2002), Kerry Wood (1998) and Dwight Gooden (1984)... His 127 strikeouts were the most in franchise history by a player in his first 20 career games (2nd: Juan Guzman - 106)... Kept right-handed hitters to a .156 (30-for-199) batting average, the third-best mark in MLB (min. 200 BF)... Entered the season ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Blue Jays’ fifth-best prospect and 97th overall...Listed by Baseball America as Toronto’s seventh-best prospect and 91st overall... Held a 0-0 record and a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/7.0 IP) with no walks and 15 strikeouts over three appearances in Spring Training... Posted a 3-0 record with a 0.50 ERA (1 ER/18.0 IP) in three games with Triple-A Buffalo...Stuck out 27 batters, walked three and hit four (0.56 WHIP)... Earned the win in his MLB debut May 27 at NYY as he threw 6.0 scoreless innings...Allowed two hits, walked two and struck out seven batters...Became the first player in Blue Jays history with 6.0+ innings, 7+ K’s and 0 runs allowed in an MLB debut...Was the 50th player in team history to make his MLB debut as a starting pitcher (last: Nate Pearson on July 29, 2020, at WAS)...Became the second player from the 2019 draft to make the Majors (CWS’s Andrew Vaughn - April 2, 2021, at LAA)... Allowed 2R/1ER on June 9 at CWS, giving up four hits over 5.0 innings (2BB, 4K)...Became the fourth pitcher in Blue Jays history to have his team win each of his first three career games as a starter, joining Jerry Garvin (1977), Mauro Gozzo (1989), and Brett Cecil (2009)... Took a no-decision June 19 at BAL, allowing four hits (all solo home runs) and five runs with a walk and six strikeouts over 3.1 innings...Ejected for the 1st time in his career by Jerry Meals after hitting Maikel Franco with a pitch... Earned his 2nd career win July 2 vs. TB, tossing 7.0 scoreless innings, giving up three hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts on 109 pitches (71 strikes)...Kept a no-hitter through 5.1 innings, the longest no-hit bid by a Toronto rookie since Thomas Pannone on Aug. 22, 2018, vs. BAL (6.0 IP)...Set a franchise record by striking out seven consecutive batters from the first to the third inning (five other Toronto pitchers had six straight K’s)...Became the fourth pitcher since 1974 (as far as tracking goes back) to strike out seven straight batters in a game within his first seven career starts (last: Stephen Strasburg in 2010)...Became the 1st pitcher in club history to go 7+ IP with no runs and 10+ strikeouts in a game within his first seven career contests...Tied a club record by beginning his career with seven straight starts without a loss (Jerry Garvin in 1977)... Took his first career loss July 9 at TB, giving up 3R/2ER on three hits over 3.2 innings with a trio of walks and nine strikeouts... Placed on the injured list from July 16-30 with a back contusion after slipping on the dugout steps during a rain delay in Buffalo... Picked up his 3rd win on July 31 vs. KC, tossing 7.0 scoreless innings while giving up just two hits (1BB, 4K)...Became the first Blue Jay and 16th player all-time with no earned runs in four of his first nine career starts... Won his fourth game Aug. 6 vs. BOS, giving up two runs and four hits over 5.0 innings (3BB, 4K)...Became the fourth pitcher all-time to allow four or fewer hits and strike out 4+ batters in 10 straight games, joining Jacob deGrom (11 games in 2021), Mike Clevenger (10 games in 2018), and Johan Santana (10 games in 2004)...Allowed four hits or fewer in each of his first 10 career starts, the longest such streak to start a career in MLB history... Picked up his fifth win Aug. 11 at LAA, giving up two runs and five hits over 6.2 innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts and 114 pitches (78 strikes)...The 11 punchouts tied a franchise record for the most in a game by a rookie (fifth time)... Earned his sixth win Sept. 13 vs. TB, throwing 8.0 innings of one-hit, shutout ball with no walks and 10 strikeouts… Marked the longest outing of his career and tied for the longest by a Blue Jay in 2021 (Robbie Ray - 8.0 IP on Aug. 20 vs. DET)...Became the fastest pitcher in Toronto history to reach 100 career strikeouts, doing so in 17 games (2nd: Juan Guzmán/Drew Hutchison - 20 games)...Joined Dave Bush as the only rookies in franchise history with 8.0+ IP, no runs, and 10+ K’s in a game... Picked up his eighth win Sept. 26 at MIN, giving up two runs on six hits over 5.2 innings with two walks and eight strikeouts... Earned his ninth win in his last outing, on Oct. 2 vs. BAL, tossing 7.0 innings of one-hit, one-run ball with a walk and 10 strikeouts...Marked his fourth start with 10+ K’s, more than any other rookie in Blue Jays history... Named AL Rookie of the Month for Sept./Oct., going 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 37.1 innings (six starts)... Was the first Blue Jay to win the award since Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in July of 2018, and the first Toronto pitcher since Scott Richmond in April of 2009... Named to the MLB Pipeline All-Rookie Team at the end of the season.
2020
Was one of 60 players invited to Summer Camp at Rogers Centre in July... Spent the season at Toronto’s alternate training site in Rochester, NY.
2019
Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (11th overall) of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft...After he was taken 11th overall by the Blue Jays, was assigned to Class-A (short) Vancouver to begin his professional career...Made six starts for the Canadians, allowing a total of five runs over 17.0 frames for a 2.65 ERA...Fanned 27 batters and walked just five for a 1.06 WHIP and a 14.3 SO/9.
