‘I Am Who I Am’: Alek Manoah Brings Confidence and Passion to the Big Leagues

Alek Manoah pounded his chest as he stared out toward his shortstop, muttering to himself while he returned to the mound.

The 6'6” righty just struck out his 10th batter of the game, pounding straight strikes after falling behind Jonathan Arauz 3-0. He wasn’t always a top prospect — Manoah had a 4.0 ERA and pitched more out of the bullpen as a college sophomore — but he had bigger dreams for himself and his contagious confidence has always been there. It’s that confidence that Manoah will need to be successful in the big leagues, Blue Jays Manager Charlie Montoyo said.

“I am who I am,” Manoah said days before his MLB debut.

His confidence comes from God, he said, and as long as Manoah on a mound or between the white lines he will bring that passion to any level. On Thursday, that stage will be Yankee Stadium for his big league debut and, as promised, he’ll be ‘out there doing his thing.’

“Even if I suck out there,” Manoah said. “My teammates are gonna know I sucked at 100%.”

Manoah held the ball against his right hip in a Spring Training outing against the Yankees. He came set and hesitated for just a moment before driving toward home plate. New York catcher Kyle Higashioka swung over a sweeping slider that nicked the outside corner of the strike zone. Manoah was off the mound and sprinting towards Toronto’s dugout before Higashioka could even step out of the batter’s box. The strikeout was the 23-year-old’s fifth straight, and he added two more the next inning.

7 Ks in a ROW for @Alek_Manoah47!

Yes, you read that correctly 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NosnWRqRLw
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 14, 2021

The outing ensured he could get big leaguers out, Manoah said, he didn't need to be anyone but himself. His stuff continued to play when he was assigned to Toronto’s preseason alt site and ultimately Triple-A, where his three starts of one-run ball earned him an MLB promotion.

Former Blue Jays first-round pick Logan Warmoth faced Manoah at the 2021 alt site and said he was the hardest righty-on-righty matchup he’s ever had. Playing behind him in Buffalo was more fun than facing him, Warmoth said.

“He is himself to a tee on the mound,” Warmoth said. “And that's just something cool to see. He's just playing the game and he is having fun doing it. Rightfully so.”

He’s always been a high energy guy, Manoah said, and his teammates know it. He had to learn early in his career to channel that passion and on Thursday he’ll have to do it with bleacher creature boo’s raining down on every pitch. But regardless of what he runs into, he can fall back on something he’s known for a while and every consecutive Triple-A start only further confirmed:

“The stuff plays,” Manoah said.

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