Blue Jays Set Alex Manoah, Shane Bieber for Latest Rehab Assignments
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The Toronto Blue Jays sit in first place in the American League East with the best record in the American League. With the help of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk and bounce backs from Bo Bichette and George Springer, the offense has been potent as of late.
The pitching, on the other hand, has had its ups and downs. Kevin Gausman has shown flashes of brilliance, but he and Jose Berrios both have ERAs north of 3.80. Chris Bassitt has been league average and Max Scherzer has only started nine games. Eric Lauer is the team's best pitcher by bWAR with 2.4, but has only thrown 83 innings.
Luckily, Toronto could be getting very talented reinforcements soon. According to Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, both Alek Manoah and Shane Bieber will be rehabbing in Triple-A this week.
Alex Manoah to Pitch Wednesday
Manoah has been on a fascinating journey. In 2022, he finished third in Cy Young voting, with a 2.24 ERA and 172 ERA+. He looked like the future ace of the team. 2023 was a big of a nightmare, though. In 19 starts, the right-hander walked 59 batters in 87.1 innings (6.1 BB/9) and posted a 5.87 ERA. He was eventually optioned to the Florida Coast League and missed most of 2024 due to injury.
The 27-year-old began the season on the 60-day injured list due to an elbow injury suffered last season. He has made three rehab appearances already, the highest being at Double-A. In his 5.1 innings of rehab work, Manoah has allowed six runs.
On Wednesday, Manoah will pitch for Triple-A Buffalo. The club is "aiming" for 70-75 pitches in order to stretch him out against the highest level in the minor leagues.
Shane Bieber to Pitch Thursday
Shane Bieber, who was acquired at this year's trade deadline, will also pitch in Triple-A with his start coming on Friday, where he is set to throw 80-85 pitches.
Since winning the Cy Young in a dominant 2020, Bieber has dealt with off and on injuries in all season but one. Unfortunately, after two brilliant starts to begin the 2024 season, he went down with an elbow injury that required Tommy John.
Bieber's last full season came in 2022, when he threw 200 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 1.040 WHIP and 8.9 K/9. His Cy Young season saw a 1.63 ERA and 14.2 K/9 in 77.1 innings of the shortened season. Known for his excellent command, Bieber has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the game while healthy.
Now 30-years-old, Bieber has made six rehab starts on his way back to the active roster, two of which have already come with Buffalo. Overall, the right-hander has thrown 22 innings with 33 strikeouts and just six runs allowed.
On Friday, he will be looking for a pitch count of 80-85.
As of Tuesday, there has been no update on when to expect the return of both pitchers. Bieber seems to be further along and has performed better in his starts. The former Triple Crown winner is a well known commodity at this point, and if he stays healthy will be a massive piece of a playoff run.
Manoah on the other hand is a different story. There has been one season of stardom followed by disaster ever since. It will take longer for him to prove himself again. If he does it this season, the Jays will have a formidable rotation in October.
