Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah struggled in his third Triple-A rehab start Wednesday night with the Buffalo Bisons, allowing six earned runs in three innings in a loss to the Iowa Cubs.
Manoah faced 19 batters and allowed seven hits with four walks, five strikeouts and two home runs. According to TSN Blue Jays Reporter Scott Mitchell, Manoah's velocity was also down, symbolling a step back after allowing two earned runs in 5.2 innings last Friday against the Columbus Clippers.
Alek Manoah’s line from his third AAA rehab start last night was not pretty and the eye test backed it up.
— Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) April 25, 2024
Faced 19 batters, walked 4 of them, gave up 2 bombs, velo down.
No bueno.
I truly do not know where #BlueJays turn for rotation depth for the next 5 months if they need it.
The Bisons went on to lose the game 8-2. Manoah now has a 11.85 ERA and 2.56 WHIP in four minor league starts this season with three coming in Triple-A and one for Single-A Dunedin.
The 26-year-old appeared in one spring training game before going down with right shoulder soreness. He was placed on the injured list to begin the season.
Manoah is looking to bounce back from a nightmare 2023 season that saw him pitch to a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts and spend most of the second half of the season in the minor leagues. He allowed four earned runs in 1.2 innings in his only spring start.
The season before, Manoah was 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA, finishing third in American League Cy Young voting.
The Blue Jays will wrap up their series in Kansas City with the Royals Thursday afternoon before heading back to Toronto to open a three-game set with Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
