Blue Jays Adjusting How Alex Manoah to Approach Next Injury Rehab Game

The Toronto Blue Jays have made a slight adjustment to how Alex Manoah’s next injury rehab game will be handled.

Jul 18, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alex Manoah (6) talks to reporters during All Star-Media Day at Dodger Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

As injured Toronto Blue Jays starter Alex Manoah prepares for his next rehab start, the team has made a slight adjustment to how they’ll approach that next game.

He is still expected to throw again on Saturday. But, he’ll pitch in a simulated game, as opposed to pitching in a standard game, per MLB.com.

More News: Did Blue Jays Contact Padres About Trade Deadline Blockbuster for Dylan Cease?

Toronto is making the rehab game a simulated game so it can control Manoah’s pitch count as he continues to build up to a Major League workload as a starter.

So far, he’s thrown two rehab games — one each with the Blue Jays’ Florida Complex League team and the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays. Combined he’s thrown 2.1 innings, allowing four hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks. He also struck out three.

More News: Star Blue Jays Outfielder on Pace To Return During Important Series

But he showed improvement from one start to the next. In the FCL start, he recorded just one out. He also gave up just one hit. But, with two walks he allowed four runs, three of which were earned.

With Dunedin he was able to pitch two innings. He gave up three hits, one runs and no walks while he struck out two.

The right-hander has been out since last June with season-ending surgery to repair the UCL in his throwing elbow. The franchise is targeting a return sometime in August for the former starter.

More News: Blue Jays Named Fit for Cardinals All-Star Pitcher Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

The 27-year-old made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2021, and he produced during his first two seasons. He was an American League All-Star in 2022 and made the MLB first team as a starting pitcher in what was his breakthrough season.

He finished the season 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 starts, with 180 strikeouts and 51 walks in 196.2 innings. That came after a 9-2 debut in 2021 with a 3.22 ERA.

More News: Blue Jays Still Have Doubters Despite Leading Their Division

But he struggled after that. In 2023, he went 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts. His struggles were massive and got so bad that he was optioned to the minor leagues to work on his pitching. He also struggled in Florida and, when he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, he refused to report, and he was eventually shut down for the season.

Last year he went 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA in five starts before the elbow injury.  

For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.