Normally, Angels fans would roll their eyes at the signing of a pitcher like Alek Manoah. Yes, he got Cy Young Award votes a few years ago. Yes, he was a playoff starter for the Toronto Blue Jays. But normally, the Los Angeles Angels only sign guys like Manoah when they’re washed up, coming off devastating injuries or playing out the string at the end of their careers.
But this time around it could be different, based on the presence of pitching coach Mike Maddux, who’s made a second career after his playing days rehabilitating guys like Manoah. The deal Manoah signed was for one year and $1.95 million, which is well worth the gamble if Maddux can help turned the former Blue Jays star around.
In theory, the talent’s still there. Manoah is only 28, and back in 2021 in his rookie year the West Virginia product went 9-2 with a 3.22 ERA while making 20 starts and pitching 111-2/3 innings for the Blue Jays, according to Melissa Lockard and Katie Woo of The Athletic.
Manoah made another jump in his second season. His 2022 stats were gaudy—16 wins, a 2.24 ERA, and 180 strikeouts in 196-2/3 innings. He threw 5-2/3 innings in a wild-card start for the Blue Jays that year, and Manoah was also an All-Star.
After that things went off the rails. The Blue Jays expected Manoah to be their ace, but instead he got off to a bad start, and after posting a 6.36 ERA in 13 starts, he was demoted to the minors. He returned later, but his 2023 season ended up being a lost cause.
His comeback attempt was halted by the seemingly inevitable arm issues young pitchers face, starting with a UCL sprain and ending with Tommy John surgery. Manoah was finally designated for waivers, and the Atlanta Braves picked him up, but he never appeared at the big league level for Atlanta.
With Maddux running the show for the Angels this year, though, this is exactly the sort of pitcher the Angels should be gambling on. Maddux helped build the Texas Rangers 2023 pitching staff, which was full of previous underachievers who clicked with Maddux and pitched well.
Manoah projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter if Maddux can work his magic and help the pitcher overcome the occasional bouts of wildness that have plagued him. If he succeeds in that role, he’d be a genuine find.
Given the spend, this is a worthwhile experiment, especially at the back end of the Angels staff. It’s a “nothing ventured, nothing gained" kind of signing that could pay off, and it will be interesting to see how things go as it plays out this spring.