Alek Manoah tosses second simulated game at Blue Jays’ PDC

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah was back on the mound at the organization’s Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Flordia, on Thursday to throw his second simulated game since being optioned to the Florida Coast League on June 6.

Manager John Schneider revealed before first pitch at Camden Yards that the plan was for Manoah to throw approximately 75 pitches over five innings versus a small group of the franchise’s lower-level prospects.

And, similar to the 25-year-old’s first sim game, he would again be placed in a controlled environment throughout the contest.

Manoah tossed his first simulated game in Dunedin on Saturday, as Schneider noted on Tuesday, recording 72 pitches across five controlled innings – or five ups, meaning he received a break each time after recording three outs before resuming.

The Blue Jays said the 6-foot-6 hurler split his outing between their high-tech pitching lab and one of the back fields located at the facility.

On a related note, left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu – recovering from Tommy John surgery – has also been rehabbing at the Blue Jays’ PDC and will throw a live batting practice session this week. He and Manoah – rekindling their bond from previous seasons – chatted with Schneider via FaceTime on Sunday.

The 2022 All-Star looked lost before being demoted – mentally and physically – struggling to a 6.36 ERA, 6.77 xERA and a 6.52 FIP in 58.0 innings over 13 starts this season. His strikeouts and walks trended in opposite directions, resulting in a career-high 14.9 per cent walk rate and a career-low 17.0 per cent strikeout rate. He also sits second in the majors in walks (42), behind St. Louis’ Jack Flaherty (43).

Home runs were also among Manoah’s most concerning issues, registering the highest home-run-to-fly-ball ratio (14.9 per cent) of his career. His 43.3 per cent hard-hit rate against currently ranks in the 27th percentile.

Without Manoah, the Blue Jays have swapped his spot in the starting rotation with Kevin Gausman’s, separating Yusei Kikuchi’s turn and the designed bullpen day scheduled for Saturday against the Texas Rangers.