By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberNot every Major League Baseball All-Star has the smoothest career trajectory, and Alek Manoah has been the epitome of that statement over the last three years.
After his All-Star selection and third-place finish for the American League Cy Young Award in 2022, Manoah has seen all sorts of low points. He was demoted to the minors several times in the next two seasons, underwent Tommy John surgery, then found himself designated for assignment in September by the Toronto Blue Jays, who were on their way to an eventual appearance in the World Series.
It took a detour through the Atlanta Braves organization, but Manoah now has as permanent a home as he was going to find in his attempt to establish himself as a productive big-league starting pitcher again in the new year.
...On Tuesday, the Angels announced on social media that they had signed Manoah to a one-year, major league contract. The deal also appears on the official Major League Baseball transactions log.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the deal guaranteed Manoah $1.95 million. At the very least, that should grant him a spot in the starting rotation to open the regular season, health permitting, and a chance to show the Blue Jays and Braves what they missed out on.
Manoah's last two months have been a whirlwind, as he was designated for assignment by Toronto on Sept. 26, only two weeks after he was optioned to Triple-A at the end of his rehab start. He was claimed by the Braves off waivers, but non-tendered on Nov. 21 without throwing a single pitch for an Atlanta affiliate.
Manoah still has two minor-league options remaining, according to Fangraphs, but that could be overridden by the terms of his contract with Los Angeles, which have not yet been fully reported.
The 27-year-old made 10 rehab starts in the Toronto organization this year, pitching to a 3.96 ERA with 35 strikeouts and a 1.53 WHIP in 38 2/3 innings. That game action was his first since undergoing surgery in June 2024.
Manoah's first two seasons in the big leagues had the look of a big-game pitcher destined for stardom. The Angels, who have tried desperately to build a rotation that doesn't rank among the worst in the league for quite a few years now, are hoping they can recapture that stardom for a discount price.
More MLB: Blue Jays Predicted to Land Padres All-Star, Address World Series Downfall
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