Manoah, who was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2022, took a steep decline since then, culminating in his being DFA'd on Tuesday.

The Toronto Blue Jays made the surprising decision to designate former All-Star pitcher Alek Manoah for assignment on Tuesday, dropping him in favor of Anthony Santander, who was reinstated from the injured list.

Santander, who was signed to a five-year contract last offseason, has been out since May with a left shoulder issue. He hit 44 home runs last season for the Baltimore Orioles and represents a possible source of power for Toronto as the playoffs near.

Manoah, 27, did not appear in a major league game this season. He made 10 appearances across multiple minor league levels, going 1-1 with a 3.96 ERA. The No. 11 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Manoah was supposed to represent a building block for the future, a homegrown player that could grow in Toronto for years to come.

So what happened?

2022 season

An All-Star, Manoah went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA, helping lead the Jays to the playoffs. He threw 196.2 innings, pairing with Kevin Gausman to make one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. He struck out 180 batters. He was named as a Cy Young finalist.

2023 season

With the implementation of the pitch clock, there were questions about Manoah's fitness and ability to work quickly. He struggled immensely, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA in 19 starts. He was sent to the minor leagues and worked out at the Jays' Florida Complex League site, but did not officially pitch in minor league games.

2024 season

After an injury in spring training, Manoah made five minor league appearances as he worked back, pitching to an 8.69 ERA. Then, he made five big-league appearances before hurting his elbow. He was 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA in that time, but he ultimately needed Tommy John surgery.

2025 season

In seven appearances with Triple-A Buffalo, he went 1-1 with a 2.97 ERA, striking out 30 batters in 33.1 innings.

What's next

Given his age and prior accomplishments, it stands to reason that Manoah will get another opportunity, but at this point, he's likely better served waiting until the offseason when he has a better idea of what the landscape looks like.

As for the Blue Jays, they will take on the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at 7:07 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer will pitch against Garrett Crochet.