The Toronto Blue Jays may get some pitching help back soon.
After missing the second half of the 2024 season and most of the 2025 season, Alek Manoah is inching closer to returning. On Sunday, he pitched a quality start with the Buffalo Bisons, giving up two earned runs, four walks, and three strikeouts in six innings. He’s up to 86 pitches, and a decision will have to be made on September 12th.
There are a few pathways the Blue Jays can go down regarding Manoah down the stretch. Let’s take a look at what the Blue Jays could do when they activate him from the Injured List on September 12th!
Plug him into the rotation
The one pathway that almost certainly won’t happen unless there are a handful of injuries is that Manoah returns to the rotation. Even then, the Blue Jays may turn to Eric Lauer or even top prospect Trey Yesavage before looking at Manoah.
Manoah gives the team some more starting pitching depth if the team is severely unlucky over the next month. Speaking of depth, other starters the Jays could turn to are Adam Macko and Lázaro Estrada if they need starters.
If the Blue Jays’ season is already decided and they need to rest a starter, Manoah may get the opportunity to pitch in the final days of the season. With that being said, don’t expect him to become a fixture in the rotation to end the 2025 season.
Option him to finish the 2025 season with the Bisons
The most likely option regarding Manoah is that he’ll be optioned. Despite finishing third in American League Cy Young voting in 2022, Manoah only has three seasons of service time under his belt, as well as two option years.
That means the Blue Jays can let him get two more starts with the Bisons before the next step. Manoah likely doesn’t feature in the Jays’ rotation plans in 2025, so two more starts with the Bisons could be the best option if they see him as a starter in 2026.
Of course, a call-up to the big leagues in the final games is possible, but if he doesn’t get recalled toward the end of the big league season, the Blue Jays could elect to send him to one of the various winter leagues. Alternatively, the Jays could work with him throughout the winter at the Player Development Complex.
Realistically, it’s all about next season for Manoah and the Blue Jays. There’ll be a handful of rotation spots up for grabs next season, as Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer are free agents, while Shane Bieber can opt out.
Pitch out of the bullpen
The most fascinating pathway the Blue Jays could take with Manoah when he returns from his rehab stint is allowing the 27-year-old to pitch in relief.
This option may be needed as the Blue Jays’ bullpen is in rough shape; look no further than blowing a two-run lead on Monday afternoon. Manoah’s command that he had in 2022 still hasn’t returned, but using him as a long-man or spot starter could give the rest of the bullpen a much-needed break.
The counterargument to that is that Lauer is already an option as a long man in the bullpen, but with Brendon Little’s struggles (again, see Monday’s game) since the start of June, using Lauer as a high-leverage arm against left-handed batters may not be the worst idea.
If Manoah joins the bullpen as the long man, it’ll allow him to build up his innings while facing better competition than if he were to pitch in the minor leagues.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see what the Blue Jays do with Manoah when he has to come off the 60-day Injured List on September 12th. My guess is that he’ll be optioned to make two more Triple-A starts, but pitching out of the bullpen may be needed at this point.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.