Alek Manoah ROCKED In Low-Level Minor League Start As Blue Jays Pitcher's Crazy Downward Spiral Continues

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What in the world has happened to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah? The once-promising young arm suddenly looks to be a shell of his former self.

And shell is an appropriate word since all he does lately is get shelled.

Manoah burst onto the MLB scene in 2021. As a rookie, he started 20 games for the Toronto Blue Jays. He posted a 9-2 record with a 3.22 ERA and finished in the Top 10 in Rookie of the Year Voting.

Last year, he followed up a terrific rookie campaign with an even better sophomore season. The 6'6" 285-pound righty went 16-7 across 31 starts, posting a sparkling 2.24 ERA over just under 200 innings.

Alek Manoah dominated last season for the Toronto Blue Jays but now can't seem to get anyone out.

Alek Manoah dominated last season for the Toronto Blue Jays but now can't seem to get anyone out. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

He finished third in American League Cy Young voting.

So, of course, expectations were high entering his third big league season. But to say that he hasn't lived up to expectations isn't even an understatement. His performance in 2023 isn't even in the same ballpark as his expectations. Probably not even in the parking lot of the ballpark.

Manoah went 1-7 in 13 starts with an ERA over 6 before the Blue Jays mercifully sent him back to the minor leagues.

Things got so bad that in his final start prior to the demotion, he attempted to literally blow a ball foul. Seriously.

But the Blue Jays didn't just send him back to Triple-A. No, they sent him to something called the "Florida Complex League."

I have to be honest: I consider myself a pretty major sports fan. I grew up playing, watching and loving baseball. But even I had no idea what the Florida Complex League was.

Apparently, it's considered "rookie-level" minor league baseball. Meaning, most of the players are literally playing professional baseball for the first time. The majority of players are teenagers in their first years out of high school.

So, it's a weird spot for 25-year-old Alek Manoah. But the Blue Jays probably figured he could regain some confidence by dominating young hitters.

Except, it didn't work out that way. Not even close.

YIKES. Manoah got absolutely ROCKED by a bunch of teenagers.

It's one of the biggest falls I think I've ever seen a professional athlete take. From near-Cy Young winner to not being able to get 18-year-olds out?

The only thing that even comes to mind is when Rick Ankiel completely stopped being able to pitch a baseball.

Alek Manoah probably wishes his pitches didn't even get to the plate at this point. At least then batters couldn't mash them out of the park.

Perhaps Manoah can pull a Rick Ankiel and reinvent himself as a position player.

But he needs to do something, because this clearly isn't working.

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Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.