After pitching 1.2 scoreless innings, Manoah threw a 91 mph slider and hurt himself as he leaped off the mound. Both manager John Schneider and the Blue Jays’ training team visited Manoah, who was eventually relieved by Trevor Richards and pulled from the game.
Manoah reported to the media during the game that he experienced a “pinchy” feeling on his last pitch.
Manoah stated, “I feel…it sucks,” as reported by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “I firmly believe in God. To get back to this point, I’ve had to deal with a lot of crap over the past year.”
Manoah also admitted to feeling some elbow discomfort during his last appearance against the Detroit Tigers on May 24, but he said the pain wasn’t present when he tested himself during an ensuing bullpen session.
Watching any pitcher leave with an elbow injury is certainly cause for concern, but it could be especially detrimental to Manoah.
After thriving as a rookie in 2021 and finishing third in AL Cy Young voting in 2022, Manoah’s production fell off a cliff in 2023. He was eventually sent down to the minors, getting injections in his throwing shoulder towards the end of the season.
In 2024, Manoah had to complete an extended Spring Training program in addition to a minor league rehab assignment to regain his form and correct his mechanics. And he continued to appear wildly inconsistent throughout it all.
In seven minor league starts between 2023 and 2024, Manoah went 0-3 with a 10.21 ERA.
Manoah let up six earned runs in 4.0 innings against the Washington Nationals on May 5, the day he was ultimately called back up to the majors for his season debut. On May 24, he gave up six runs overall, including four earned.
In the interim, though, Manoah posted back-to-back starts of 7.0 scoreless innings. He seemed to be on pace for a similar kind of outing Wednesday, prior to his injury.
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