After recent success in Triple-A, former Mountaineer Alek Manoah will return to the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday for the final game of their series against the Washington Nationals.
Manoah, who earned an All-Star appearance in 2022, enters a 15-18 Blue Jays team looking to make up for a 9-3 loss to Washington on Friday. Whether he will be pitching to win the series or save Toronto from a sweep is dependent on Saturday’s result.
Sunday will be Manoah’s first time back in the MLB since August 10 of last year. Following that day’s loss to Cleveland, Manoah was optioned to Triple-A, to which he reacted by refusing to play baseball for the remainder of the 2023 season.
In 2024, though, the former three-year WVU pitcher seems to fit perfectly in the minors. After being optioned down to Triple-A for shoulder rehab and initially struggling, Manoah pitched 12 strikeouts, two hits, two walks, and one run in six innings on April 30.
Toronto would definitely like to share Manoah’s recent success after going 2-8 in the last 10 games. Blue Jays pitchers have allowed the sixth most runs in the past seven days and the eighth most so far this season.
Manoah will throw the first pitch for Toronto at 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.
Photo from WVU Baseball
