Alek Manoah is signing his career into its next chapter, and perhaps its final proving ground, in Anaheim. Once heralded as the Toronto Blue Jays’ future ace, Manoah is now heading west, signing a major league deal with the Los Angeles Angels, reportedly worth $1.95 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. It’s a modest contract by today’s standards, and yet, for those who remember Manoah’s dominant 2022 season, it’s a striking symbol of how swiftly the baseball gods can turn a rising star into a reclamation project.
From All-Star to Afterthought
Three years ago, this kind of deal would have been inconceivable. In 2022, Manoah was electric. A 2.24 ERA, an All-Star nod, and the poise of a veteran on the mound, he was the bulldog atop Toronto’s rotation, showing command, intensity, and a delivery that gave right-handed hitters fits. He seemed poised to anchor the Blue Jays’ pitching staff for the better part of a decade. But that projection unraveled with startling speed.
In 2023, the signs of decline were both rapid and perplexing. Manoah’s walk rate spiked, his fastball command deteriorated, and he became alarmingly hittable. By midseason, he was no longer just struggling; he was lost. The following year, he underwent Tommy John surgery, and his once-promising trajectory turned into a long road back, lined with setbacks and questions about what had gone wrong.
A Low-Risk Bet for Pitching-Starved Angels
Now, at 27, with 28 approaching in January, Alek Manoah finds himself with something rare: a second chance. The Angels, a club perpetually searching for competent pitching and low-risk upside, are banking on the idea that Manoah still has something left in the tank. His 2025 minor league numbers didn’t scream “breakout,” but they didn’t disqualify him either. This is a $1.95 million bet on potential, and for a team like the Angels, who’ve made a habit of these types of deals, it’s a familiar move.
Can Alek Manoah Recapture the Fire?
Manoah’s career line, 29-20 with a 3.34 ERA, still speaks to what he once was. The hope now is that, somewhere in the wreckage of the last two seasons, the fire that made him an All-Star still burns. Rebuilding a career after surgery and mental setbacks is no small feat. But if Manoah can rediscover even a fraction of that 2022 dominance, the Angels may have found a steal, and he may have just found his way back.
