Once hailed as the next great ace in Toronto, Alek Manoah is getting a fresh start in Los Angeles—and this comeback could define his entire career. The former All-Star pitcher has signed a one-year, $1.95 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, the team announced Tuesday. It’s a short-term contract, but one carrying outsized expectations: Manoah will attempt to reclaim the promise that once had the baseball world buzzing, after a stretch of injuries and inconsistency derailed his once-bright trajectory.
The Angels officially confirmed the move on social media, noting: “The Angels have agreed to a one-year contract with RHP Alek Manoah.” That announcement sent waves across baseball circles, stirring anticipation about whether the 28-year-old flamethrower can rediscover his All-Star form.
Manoah, who turns 28 in January, hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2024. His journey began in Toronto, where he was drafted in the first round in 2019 out of West Virginia University. Rising rapidly through the farm system, he debuted in 2021 and impressed immediately—posting a 9–2 record with a 3.22 ERA across 111 2/3 innings. His stellar rookie campaign even earned him a top-10 finish in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
The following season saw Manoah ascend to stardom. In 2022, he was nearly untouchable: 16 wins, a sparkling 2.24 ERA, and 180 strikeouts in almost 197 innings. Statistically, that season cemented his status as one of the league’s premier young arms, with a 6.0 bWAR and a third-place finish in Cy Young Award voting. He was, without a doubt, Toronto’s present and future on the mound.
But this is where things took a turn—and here’s where opinions start to split. In 2023, expectations were sky-high for Manoah as the team’s ace, yet his season unraveled almost immediately. Through 13 starts, he managed a 6.36 ERA before being demoted to the minors, a shocking move given his prior dominance. Though he made short-lived returns, his form never fully rebounded, and he didn’t pitch again in the majors that season. Was it a mechanical issue? A mental block? Or pressure taken too far? Fans still debate that question.
In 2024, things didn’t improve much. Competing for a rotation spot out of spring training, Manoah began the year in the minors before rejoining the Blue Jays in May. But just five starts in, he suffered a UCL sprain that led to Tommy John surgery—arguably the biggest setback of his career. When he returned late in the 2025 season, he found himself designated for assignment as the Blue Jays moved on. The Atlanta Braves briefly claimed him off waivers but also released him without a single appearance.
Now, in 2025, the Angels—a team plagued by the third-worst ERA in baseball last season—are betting that Manoah can help spark a turnaround. It’s both a risk and a low-cost, high-reward gamble for a franchise desperate for pitching stability. And for Manoah, it’s another chance to rewrite his story, one inning at a time.
But here’s the real question: can a former All-Star truly rise from the ashes after years of frustration and surgery? Or is this one more name on the long list of what-ifs in baseball’s unpredictable history? Drop your take—should fans believe in the Manoah comeback, or is this just wishful thinking?
