The Toronto Blue Jays made a stunning roster move Tuesday, designating former All‑Star pitcher Alek Manoah for assignment to clear space on the 40‑man roster.
The transaction coincided with the activation of outfielder Anthony Santander from the 60‑day injured list and the placement of first baseman Ty France on the 10‑day IL with an oblique injury.
The decision effectively ends Manoah’s tenure with Toronto, less than three years after he was considered the future ace of the rotation.
Drafted 11th overall by the Blue Jays in 2019 out of West Virginia University, Manoah quickly ascended through the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in May 2021. He impressed immediately, posting a 3.22 ERA across 20 starts as a rookie and finishing eighth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.
The following season, Manoah established himself as one of the premier pitchers in the game of baseball. In 2022, he delivered a 16–7 record with a 2.24 ERA over 196.2 innings, earning an All‑Star selection, down‑ballot MVP votes, and a third‑place finish in AL Cy Young Award voting. He started Game 1 of the Wild Card Series that fall, cementing his role as Toronto’s rotation cornerstone.
Struggles and setbacks
Manoah’s dominance proved short‑lived. In 2023, his command faltered, his ERA ballooned to nearly six, and he was demoted to the minors twice. The following year, he began the season on the injured list due to shoulder soreness and later underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024, which ended his season.
Though he returned to pitch at Triple‑A Buffalo in 2025, posting a 2.97 ERA over seven starts, his velocity and strikeout rates lagged behind his peak form. With Toronto in a tight playoff race, the front office opted to prioritize roster flexibility over a long‑term reclamation project.
“We chose others over him, obviously, so it was very tough and a very difficult decision. They always are,” general manager Ross Atkins said, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “This just came down to a roster crunch, and us feeling like the best decision for us to hold depth and support for this staff as we push forward in very important weeks.”
Manoah, now 27, will be placed on waivers. If unclaimed, he could elect free agency, leaving open the possibility of a fresh start elsewhere.
Santander returns from shoulder injury
The headline move overshadowed the return of Anthony Santander, Toronto’s major offseason signing. The 30‑year‑old slugger had been sidelined since late May with a shoulder injury. Before landing on the IL, he struggled at the plate, hitting just .179 with six home runs in 50 games. The Blue Jays hope his return provides a late‑season boost as they push toward the postseason.
Meanwhile, Ty France was placed on the 10‑day IL with left oblique inflammation. Acquired at the trade deadline, France has hit .277 with one home run and eight RBIs in 37 games for Toronto.
Toronto remains atop the American League East with less than two weeks left in the regular season. Following Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Boston and New York’s 9th-inning 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox, the Jays’ lead has been trimmed to one game, but they do own the tiebreaker.
