TORONTO – The decision to activate Anthony Santander on Tuesday was hardly surprising, but the corresponding move was far from expected.
Alek Manoah, the 27-year-old right-hander who finished third in 2022 AL Cy Young voting, was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays to create room on the 40-man roster while Ty France hit the injured list with an oblique injury.
Rival teams can now claim Manoah, who’d be able to elect free agency if he goes unclaimed. But regardless of whether he’s claimed, this move is worth examining closely because of what it says about how the Blue Jays see Manoah and what it means for the team.
Manoah had been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery at triple-A Buffalo, where he had posted a 2.97 ERA in 33.1 innings spanning seven starts. During that time, he struck out 30 while walking 18 hitters and allowing six home runs.
But while the results were respectable, there were indications the Blue Jays weren’t completely convinced his stuff and delivery were ready for the MLB level just yet. They got MLB approval to extend his rehab stint three different times, and once that 60-day period ended, they optioned him instead of selecting his contract.
Mechanically, Manoah was still working on his delivery – a normal part of Tommy John rehab – but his velocity wasn’t yet back to where it was pre-surgery. In his last triple-A start, he averaged 90.5 m.p.h. while topping out at 92.3, down from an average of 93.2 m.p.h. a year ago.
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So on Tuesday afternoon, when the Blue Jays needed a 40-man spot for Santander, they chose to cut Manoah over other potential fringe 40-man players like Dillon Tate, Easton Lucas or Justin Bruihl. Seemingly, there’s a belief that those pitchers are more likely to be called upon over the next six weeks as the Blue Jays begin their playoff push.
Longer-term, there will be ramifications on a couple fronts. First, the Blue Jays cut about $2.2 million in projected salary for 2026, when Manoah would have been arbitration eligible and due to receive a comparable salary to the $2.2-million figure he earned this year. While that likely wasn’t a driving force behind the decision, it’s still a consequence worth noting.
Secondly, the move does cut into the team’s pitching depth for 2026, by which point starters Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt and Shane Bieber are also eligible to hit free agency. Manoah would have been optionable for 2026, adding potential flexibility for the team next spring.
Even if he wasn’t going to reach Cy Young levels again, Manoah was a viable MLB starter as recently as 2024, when he posted a 3.70 ERA with more strikeouts than innings pitched and a respectable walk rate. With that in mind, teams will surely be eager to explore deals with him should he reach free agency.
Evidently, the Blue Jays didn’t believe his stuff and delivery were at a point that they were motivated to roster him through the off-season. As a result, they have one less rotation candidate for next spring, and will have to be that much more motivated as buyers for pitching over the winter.
First comes a playoff run – and while it’s technically possible that Manoah could clear waivers and accept an outright assignment to triple-A, there’s also a very real chance the 11th-overall pick in the 2019 draft won’t pitch for the Blue Jays again.
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