Not every million-dollar arm comes with a million-dollar script. Some careers unfold like fairy tales, others like a bar fight—messy, unpredictable, and occasionally requiring a wake-up punch. In the ruthless world of baseball, survival isn’t guaranteed, even with a fat paycheck. For one Blue Jays pitcher, the road to the mound has been anything but smooth.
Every MLB player climbs their own mountain—some face rolling hills, others scale Mount Everest. For Alek Manoah, it was the latter. His time in the big leagues has been anything but smooth, and now, he’s opening up about the struggles that have shaped his career.
During an interview with Foul Territory, he said, “You kind of gotta get punched in the mouth to, to know what you’re made of and, um, to know what you’re, to know what you’re built like.” And that is exactly what happened. After signing a contract with the Blue Jays in 2019, he made his debut for the Vancouver Canadians. There he pitched 17 innings and had 27 strikeouts with a 2.65 ERA, and the Blue Jays noticed this.
So, in 2021, Manoah made his MLB debut against the Yankees. In that game, he pitched 6 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts. This was his first MLB win. He ended the 2021 season with a 9-2 win-loss record and a 3.22 ERA. Even his 2022 season was a great one, as he finished with a 16-7 win-lose record and a 2.24 ERA. And everything went downhill from there.
“You kinda gotta get punched in the mouth”
Alek Manoah discusses his chaotic journey over the past few years and the road to recovery pic.twitter.com/U1fno77NBZ
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) March 3, 2025
In his first 13 starts, Manoah had an ERA of 6.36 and this got him demoted to the Florida Complex League, and even that didn’t go well. He gave away 11 runs in the 2 2/3 innings he pitched. He returned to the Blue Jays again but received another demotion. But this time he refused to play the minor league and didn’t pitch for the rest of the year.
The 2024 season was worse than he imagined. He started the game against the Nationals in May and earned 6 runs in the 4 innings he pitched. The season crashed after he had a season-ending injury in his UCL. But the Blue Jays did sign him for another year to avoid arbitration.
Alek Manoah’s career has been a masterclass in extremes—soaring highs, brutal lows, and a detour through baseball purgatory. He has experienced everything from Cy Young chatter to a season-ending injury. But if getting punched in the mouth is what it takes to prove what you’re made of, Manoah better hope he’s built to last—because the fight isn’t over yet.
Alek Manoah shares his thoughts on the Blue Jays’ offseason
Silence isn’t always golden—sometimes, it’s just awkward. As Blue Jays fans wait for a big move that never comes, one thing is clear: the offseason has been about as thrilling as a rain delay. But while the front office plays the waiting game, Alek Manoah has plenty to say about the team’s direction and what it takes to build a contender.
During a podcast, Alek Manoah revealed how he felt about the business done by the Blue Jays. He said, “Didn’t feel the best for anybody in the situation.” Like all the fans, the management is also not in a good mood after the offseason. But he does understand that it is a business and sometimes the ideas fail. But he believes they can still save the offseason.
Manoah says that extending the contract of Vladimir Guerrero Jr will be a big one if it happens. This will not only help the team this season but will help them in the offseason as well because they will be able to attract big free agents and build a team that can make it in the offseason. And if Bo Bichette starts to perform, they might push deep into the postseason.
Alek Manoah knows that in baseball, as in life, you don’t always get the offseason you want—but you better make the most of what you have. Locking down Guerrero Jr. could be the first step in salvaging this snooze-fest of a winter. Because if the Blue Jays want to be serious contenders, they need more than wishful thinking—they need action.
The post “Gotta Get Punched” – Blue Jays’ $2.2 Million Pitcher Delivers Emotional Confession on Chaotic Career Journey appeared first on EssentiallySports.
