Angels Sign Former All-Star, Top Prospect to $2 Million Contract

Toronto Blue Jays pitchers (left to right) Alek Manoah and Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios and Bowden Francis and Kevin Gausman prior to the game against the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre Aug. 10, 2024. | Gerry Angus-Imagn Images

The Angels and free agent right-hander Alek Manoah are in agreement on a one-year, $1.95 million contract.

OFFICIAL: The Angels have agreed to a one-year contract with RHP Alek Manoah. pic.twitter.com/Vq3RzGjtsT

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) December 2, 2025

Jeff Passan of ESPN.com was first to report the news on Twitter/X.

Manoah is a former All-Star and Top-100 prospect who flamed out amid injuries and inefficiencies after seven seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

For the Angels', he's a low-risk flier who has an opportunity to seize the major league rotation spot that eluded him last season.

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Manoah, 27, is 29-20 with a 3.34 ERA in 75 career starts, all with the Blue Jays. He went 1-1 with a 2.97 ERA in seven starts with the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate in 2025 but was not promoted to the majors.

In September, the Braves claimed Manoah off waivers but he did not appear in a game with Atlanta. He was not tendered a contract after the season and elected free agency.

Manoah was the 11th overall pick out of the University of West Virginia by the Blue Jays in the 2019 MLB Draft. In 2020, he was ranked in Baseball Prospectus' Top 100. In 2023, he was the Blue Jays' Opening Day starter after going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA and making the American League All-Star team the year before.

But Manoah struggled mightily in 2023, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts, shuffling between the majors and minors.

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In 2024, Manoah 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA over five starts spanning 24.1 innings before undergoing season-ending surgery on his elbow.

Manoah was still on the rehab trail with the Blue Jays when he lost his 40-man roster spot; Toronto was hunting down the American League East title en route to an eventual berth in the World Series. The Braves' rotation was depleted by injuries when they picked him up.

But Atlanta was unwilling to extend its relationship with Manoah into 2026 after the pitcher made $2.2 million in 2025. The Angels get him at a discount — and at a time when their rotation needs help.

After acquiring Grayson Rodriguez from the Baltimore Orioles in November for outfielder Taylor Ward, the Angels' rotation still faced question marks beyond left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and right-hander Jose Soriano.

Rodriguez missed the entire 2025 season rehabilitating injuries to his elbow and lat. Reid Detmers is attempting to return to the rotation after spending all of 2025 in the bullpen. Prospects Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, Jack Kochanowicz and Mitch Farris have mostly struggled in the majors and would likely benefit from more time in the minors.

Assuming Manoah is healthy, he has an excellent chance to seize a rotation job ahead of the Angels' crop of youngsters.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.