Three months ago, pitcher Alek Manoah was a castoff for the Toronto Blue Jays. Now the Los Angeles Angels are taking a flyer on him, and given where the Angels are right now it’s actually safe to say that he could be an integral part of their pitching plans going forward.

Can this work out? It really depends on new Angels pitching coach Mike Maddux, and of course on Manoah himself. He does have some possibilities, though, so it’s worth taking a dive into some of the recent events, relevant scouting reports, and what some experts have said about him along the way.

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The Blue Jays designated Manoah for assignment in late September because they needed roster space for right fielder Anthony Santander, who’d been battling a back injury. Santander became part of Toronto’s deep playoff run, and Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said the move was simply part the typical roster crunch.

“These are always tough decisions,” GM Ross Atkins said at the time to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “This just came down to a roster crunch and us feeling like (it was) the best decision for us to hold depth, and support this staff as we push forward into very important weeks. We chose others over him, obviously, so this was a very tough, very difficult decision. They always are.”

Manoah had completed his minor league rehab assignment earlier in September, and he posted a 3.96 ERA in ten minor-league starts. When the Triple A season ended, there were no more games for Manoah to pitch, and the Blue Jays basically gave up on him.

The big question on Manoah going forward is his velocity. He dropped into the low 90s after elbow reconstruction surgery, leading into his 2025 season, and the Angels are betting on the uptick that occurs for many pitchers as they recover from Tommy John surgery.

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There are two possible negatives to watch for with Manoah. The first is conditioning. He needs to come into spring training in shape to have any chance of getting his velocity back, so that’s the first thing the Angels will be looking for in February when pitchers and catchers report.

The other issue is wildness. Manoah has had stretches where he’s been effective, but others where he’s been all over the map, both in his mechanics and location. His $1.95 million deal with the Angels is guaranteed at the big league level, so Maddux will definitely have his work cut out for him.