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Just as smiles begin to form on the faces of Toronto Blue Jays fans, the club absorbs another crushing blow. Alek Manoah is being placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain, according to MLB.com.
The 2022 All-Star and second runner-up for American League Cy Young is trying to put together a notable comeback campaign after his shockingly miserable 2023 season, but that plan has just been brutally disrupted. And it could be delayed for a while, possibly a long while.
Manoah exited early in the Blue Jays' 3-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday and had an MRI done. He will meet with Dr. Keith Meister next Thursday to be evaluated in person. Fans are desperately hoping for some good news, as they know how grueling the last year has been for the right-handed starting pitcher. He said his elbow “felt really pinchy.”
The 26-year-old heads to the IL with a 1-2 record, 3.70 ERA, 26 strikeouts and 1.03 WHIP in 24 1/3 innings of work in 2024. Despite experiencing some trouble against the Detroit Tigers on May 24 (allowed four runs in less than five innings pitched), Manoah looked to be figuring things out. He was not charged a run in consecutive outings versus both the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays.
No one in Toronto wants to explicitly mention the worst-case scenario, but everyone knows what an elbow issue could mean. Alek Manoah does not need more adversity hurled in front of his path. He just wants to be on the mound. The Blue Jays wait patiently for Dr. Meister's diagnosis.
In the meantime, they must stay on an upward trajectory and rise above their own challenges and shortcomings.
Blue Jays enter a critical month of baseball
Toronto ends May in last place in the AL East with an overall record of 27-29. This club is painfully familiar with unmet expectations, but the disappointment is generally reserved for October. If the Jays cannot climb out of the hole they dug themselves in, then fans will not have the chance to witness a postseason stumble or potential triumph this year.
The team is playing well at the moment, taking advantage of a softer stretch of its schedule. Davis Schneider's walk-off home run Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates propelled the Blue Jays to their fourth consecutive victory. They will have to keep the m0mentum rolling in June.
That will be difficult to accomplish with matchups vs. the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians looming ahead. The stakes are too high for Toronto to flounder, however. The club needs to be in contention for a Wild Card slot by the time the July 30 MLB trade deadline arrives. Otherwise, the organization might be inclined to make some franchise-altering decisions.
Could drastic changes really be on the horizon?
Both first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette will be free agents at the end of 2025. The combination of a losing record and contract extension complications could persuade ownership to abandon its current model and rebuild. Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins risks losing trade leverage if he decides to complete a deal next year instead.
Of course, The Six wants to keep these franchise pillars and add winning pieces around them. Although it is becoming increasingly exhausting for fans to place faith in the organization's plan, the team's talent is undeniable.
But it is also a bit lighter now that Alek Manoah is unavailable. Toronto aims to delay its existential crisis by extending its winning streak, starting with Saturday afternoon's game against Pittsburgh.
