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Former Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah outrighted from Angels 40-man roster
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Photo credit: © Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Nick Prasad
May 21, 2026, 17:00 EDTUpdated: May 21, 2026, 14:14 EDT
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Another former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher is making headlines — and not for positive reasons. The Los Angeles Angels announced yesterday that they have outrighted right-hander Alek Manoah from the 40-man roster after a difficult stretch on the mound in 2026.
If you watched baseball on Saturday, May 16, you likely saw one Los Angeles club dominate the other. The Los Angeles Dodgers handed the Angels a 15-2 blowout loss, with Manoah enduring one of the toughest outings of his professional career.
Entering as the Angels’ fourth pitcher and third reliever, Manoah recorded just 1 1/3 innings while surrendering nine runs on six hits — eight earned and one unearned. He also walked three batters, struck out two, and allowed a home run before being removed in the middle of his second inning of work.
Stat lines like that are usually associated with a starter lasting five or six innings, not a reliever pitching fewer than two. Manoah threw 59 pitches, including 33 strikes, and faced 14 batters in an outing where nearly every ball seemed to find contact. His fastball averaged just 84.6 mph — a concerning number considering the MLB average fastball velocity in 2026 sits around 94.6 mph.
The former first-round pick and All-Star no longer resembled the dominant pitcher who broke onto the scene with the Toronto Blue Jays out of West Virginia University.
While Manoah’s sample size remains small at just three appearances and 7 1/3 innings this season after starting the year on the IL, the results have been alarming. The right-hander owns a 9.82 ERA alongside a 20.5% walk rate, both signs that command and consistency continue to be major issues.
Despite the struggles, a trip to the minor leagues may ultimately benefit Manoah. Being outrighted is never ideal, but it allows the 28-year-old to reset mechanically and mentally while rebuilding confidence away from the spotlight of the majors. It also appears that he cleared waivers, considering he was outrighted from the roster. Manoah can elect free agency instead of the demotion, but he would be walking away from the remaining money from his $1.95 million contract he signed with the Angels because he has less than five years of service time. 
There is still reason to believe a turnaround is possible. Manoah’s raw talent and previous success suggest there may be a path back to the big leagues if he can make the necessary physical adjustments and regain his confidence on the mound.
Things could also be worse for the former Blue Jays star.
Fellow ex-Toronto reliever Jordan Romano was designated for assignment and released by the Angels in late April after enduring his own difficult start to the season. Manoah, meanwhile, will at least get another opportunity to work things out at a lower level.
Now, the focus shifts to whether the former All-Star and Cy Young finalist can rediscover the form that once made him one of baseball’s most promising young pitchers.

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