Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah throws in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., Sunday, March 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Toronto Blue Jays starter Alek Manoah was hit hard in his first game after returning to the minors, allowing 11 runs over 2 2/3 innings in a rookie-level Florida Complex League game on Tuesday.
Before the Blue Jays hosted the San Francisco Giants in Toronto on Tuesday night, manager John Schneider played down Manoah’s rough outing.
“Obviously saw the line score, but heard that the things we were talking about, in terms of strike throwing, delivery, tempo, velocity, were all positive,” Schneider said. “The rest of the stuff, you can take it with a grain of salt.”
The Blue Jays sent the struggling right-hander down on June 6 after the 2022 All-Star and AL Cy Young finalist couldn’t get out of the first inning against the Houston Astros.
Pitching for the FCL Blue Jays against the Yankees at New York’s minor-league complex, the 25-year-old gave up 10 hits, including two homers, and two walks against a lineup composed mostly of teenagers 17 to 19 years of age.
After Manoah allowed an RBI single to Hans Montero in the first, Roderick Arias hit a second-inning three-run homer. The 18-year old Arias received a $4 million signing bonus in 2022 from the Yankees.
The 6-foot-6 righty needed 26 pitches, including 15 strikes, in the second.
Manoah was chased after giving up six more runs in a third inning that featured an opposite-field, two-run homer to right by Keiner Delgado.
“We’re not expecting him to go throw a perfect game just because it’s the minor leagues,” said Schneider, who wasn’t sure when Manoah would pitch next.
“Hopefully, in the next one, he can build a little bit of momentum.”
Manoah was booed by Toronto fans after allowing six runs and seven hits in one-third of an inning on June 5 in his seventh straight losing decision. He 1-7 went a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts after going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 starts last season.
Manoah has allowed 45 runs in 58 innings. He allowed 55 in 196 2/3 innings in 2022. He went 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA in 20 starts as a rookie in 2021.
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