TORONTO — Alek Manoah sat down in front of a group of reporters in the visiting dugout at Rogers Centre on Friday and was asked what it felt like being on the other side of the diamond.
“It’s a little different,” Manoah replied. “It’s a little weird. Never even thought of what the visitor side would look like.”
This field, of course, is where Manoah rose to fame as an all-star pitcher with a bright future. And while injuries and inconsistencies spun his career in a completely different direction, the right-hander said it’s the good times that outweigh the bad in his mind.
“It goes to champagne showers in that clubhouse and a lot of good memories with that rotation and all those guys,” said Manoah. “And, obviously, toward the end, some of the injuries and some of the stuff that happened, but a lot of good times.”
Manoah, wearing a relaxed smile and a red Los Angeles Angels hat, was activated from the injured list this week after dealing with a fingernail issue on his right hand since spring training. And hours after his conversation with media, Manoah embarked on the first meaningful steps of what’s become his fresh start.
Making his first appearance in a major-league game since May 29, 2024, Manoah retired all three hitters he faced during a scoreless eighth inning in the Angels’ 2-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
While the 28-year-old’s MLB return timing up with a visit to Toronto is befitting of a storybook, it wasn’t appreciated as much by the many fans in attendance who peppered Manoah with loud boos upon his entrance from the bullpen.
Perhaps that speaks to Manoah’s turbulent tenure in Toronto. A first-round pick (11th overall) in 2019, the right-hander experienced incredible highs — a third-place finish in AL Cy Young voting and a Game 1 playoff start in 2022 — but also terrible lows — a demotion to the minors, a rumoured disagreement with the front office, multiple injuries and Tommy John surgery in 2024.
As he was rehabbing in triple-A last September, the Blue Jays designated Manoah for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Anthony Santander. He was selected off waivers by the Braves before being granted free agency and signing a one-year, $1.95-million deal with the Angels.
“I understand the business side of it and where I was in my rehab and all that stuff,” Manoah said about the Blue Jays’ decision to cut him. “And when you’re trying to go for a World Series, roster spots are limited, and you need guys who are there. Obviously, Santander was more important than me at that point and I understand the business decision of it. And, you know, it is what it is.”
Manoah said he’s excited to join what he considers a strong Angels clubhouse that features several talented players. And while he’s looking ahead, the right-hander said there was plenty to be proud of during his time with the Blue Jays.
“I think I had a pretty big impact on the city,” said Manoah. “A lot of the kids that grew up in this city, being able to give back to them, being able to be a role model and just being a good teammate, being able to make some friendships and relationships that will last forever. That’s what I look back on the most.
“We won a lot of ball games, too, so that was always fun.”
When Manoah was at his best, he was a fiery force on the mound who combined swagger with impressive strike-throwing ability. He tallied 16 wins along with a 2.24 ERA over 196.2 innings and 6.0 wins above replacement in 2022, numbers you could “wish and dream on,” according to Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
“If there’s anyone in the baseball industry that appreciates his competitiveness, it’s probably me and [pitching coach] Pete [Walker],” Schneider said. “He did a lot of really good things for us.”
Blue Jays’ right-hander Kevin Gausman also looks back with wonder at prime Manoah.
“If you would have told me that he would have struggled the way he did after the season he had in his first full year, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Gausman said. “He finished third in Cy Young voting, and any other year, he probably would have won it. To throw up a 2.24 ERA and close to 200 innings in the AL East is just dominant.”
Gausman and Manoah have remained close friends and the veteran is quick to mention that he’s witnessed his former teammate grow up. Manoah barely had a girlfriend when they first met and now, he’s got a wife and a one-year-old son, jokes Gausman.
Through all that, Gausman has maintained a deep level of respect for Manoah.
“He kind of gets a bad rep for maybe his intensity on the mound, but off the mound he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” said Gausman. “He really cares about guys and their families and really gets to know their kids. He’s just a really good person so you wish success on those guys.”
During their many conversations over the years, Gausman told Manoah about his own winding career path and how he’s had to reinvent himself on the mound. That’s what Manoah will need to do now. He’s refined his changeup, regained some of his lost velocity and says he hasn’t felt this healthy since 2022.
The next step is simply taking another step forward.
“Everyone’s path is different,” said Gausman. “You’re gonna get humbled at some point in this game. It doesn’t matter who you are. For some guys it doesn’t happen until they’re in their sixth or seventh year in the big leagues and some guys it happens right away.”
“What really matters is how they go about it,” adds the veteran. “Do you come out of it better and stronger or do you maybe not even come back? And so, that’s why I’m happy that he’s here. I’m happy that he’s back and healthy and pitching in the big leagues.”