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Former Toronto starter Alek Manoah, now with the L.A. Angels, was released by the team in September before playoffs.
Published Feb 25, 2026 • 3 minute read
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Alek Manoah of the Los Angeles Angels poses for Photo Day at spring training. Getty ImagesArticle content
Just like many baseball fans, Alek Manoah spent his evenings this past fall watching the Blue Jays embark on a run to the World Series, falling just short of upsetting the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers in a bid to bring the World Series back to Canada for the first time since 1993.
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But, unlike the other fans watching from their couches, Manoah feels that he played a “very big piece” in that magical post-season adventure.
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During an interview with the Athletic, Manoah said appeared to try to take a little bit of credit for the team’s post-season success.
“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” Manoah told the outlet’s Sam Blum. “I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.
“Those are all my friends,” Manoah added. “A lot of those guys I called my brothers. I rooted for them 100%. I wanted them to win it all.”
While Manoah did have some success early in his career with the Jays, he struggled mightily after his all-star 2022 season and hasn’t pitched in the Majors since May 2024.
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After finishing third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022, Manoah had a disastrous 2023 season, which included a demotion to the minors.
Why was Manoah released?
After just five starts in 2024, Manoah ran into injury trouble and underwent Tommy John surgery in June and never pitched for the Jays again. He was released in September before the playoffs started after making several starts with the Jays’ triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.
At the time Jays general manager Ross Atkins didn’t elaborate on why the team cut ties with the former ace, who started playoff game for the club in 2022.
Manoah was claimed off waiver by the Atlanta Braves, but never made an appearance for the franchise before being non-tendered and becoming a free agent.
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The former first-round draft pick later signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels worth $1.95 million US, which reportedly is fully guaranteed.
What does Manoah say about his career now?
Manoah also told the Athletic that he is now trying to change the narrative around his career in this latest chance with the Angels.
“I feel like some narratives can be created on their own,” he said, adding that “at the end of the day, it’s just baseball, right?
“I’ve been through a lot of tougher s*** in life besides baseball.
“Just keeping that perspective and understanding that, at the end of the day, struggling in baseball is a first-world problem. Trusting that every door that closes is closing for a reason. Every door that’s opening is ready to blossom.”
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Manoah reportedly has been looking good during spring training so far, with his fastball velocity up from last year. He’s confident that he can one day return to stardom.
“I look up and it’s been two years since I’ve been in a big-league game,” Manoah said. “It doesn’t really hit me hard. I stay to the routine, I stay to the work every day.
“I trust the injuries, and I trust some of the down stuff is only going to make my platform bigger. It’s going to make my voice a lot bigger for people that go through a lot of tough stuff.”
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