Manoah pulled after allowing six runs in first inning

Alek Manoah's struggles continued in a big way Monday night as he was pulled in the first inning after allowing six runs in an eventual loss to the Houston Astros.

Manoah got just one out and allowed seven hits and one walk in nine batters. The big blow came off the bat of Corey Julks, who took Manoah deep into the left field seats for a grand slam.

Manoah departed the game after two more base hits and gave way to right-hander Jay Jackson, who retired the next two Houston hitters to end the inning and strand Manoah's remaining base runners. A few fans at Rogers Centre booed as Manoah walked back to the dugout. 

“I think so. The game just ended," manager John Schneider said after Monday's game on whether or not Manoah would make his next start, which would come Saturday against the Minnesota Twins.

"When I say that everything is on the table, yeah, everything is. We’re just trying to help him get back to the calibre of pitcher that he was," Schneider said.

The 25-year-old came into outing with a 5.46 ERA, which rose to 6.36 following Monday's struggles. Toronto went on to lose the game 11-4.

Manoah said letting his teammates down was the hardest part of his nightmare start to 2023. 

"This game is hard, it's going to kick you in the butt. But that doesn't change how we work, we're not going to give up on that. We're going to keep going at it and we'll find a way to push through," the right-hander said.

Manoah finished his rookie season with a 3.22 ERA in 20 starts over 111.2 innings, striking out more than a hitter an inning. He took things to another level last season, posting a 2.24 ERA with a WHIP under 1.00 and allowing 144 hits in 196.2 innings. All that was enough to put him third in American League Cy Young voting and made him the Blue Jays’ clear-cut ace heading into 2023.

But Manoah has been unable to replicate those results in 2023, going six innings or more in two of his 13 starts this season.

The Blue Jays and Astros will continue their series from Rogers Centre Tuesday night with Kevin Gausman taking the mound for Toronto and righty Hunter Brown for the Astros.