‘MIA’ Manoa unlikely to return in season

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alec Manoa, who disappeared after being demoted to Triple-A, is unlikely to see the field again this season.

Citing sources, Canadian sports outlet Sportsnet reported on Wednesday (Nov. 12) that Manoa’s chances of returning in-season are dwindling.

After going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 31 games last season and finishing third in the Cy Young Award voting, Manoa has been a completely different pitcher this season, going 3-9 with a 5.87 ERA in 19 games.

A trip down to the minors in the middle of the season to work on his pitches didn’t change much.

He gave up four runs on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts in four innings against the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 11 and hasn’t appeared in an official game since being demoted to Triple-A.

According to Sportsnet, Manoa had been undergoing checkups until last week. He saw multiple specialists to assess the damage to his knee, back, and right quadriceps.

The good news is that no structural damage was found. Sportsnet reports that the Blue Jays still believe there is room for Manoa to provide depth in Triple-A.

The problem is that while it’s been a long time since he’s been out, there’s not a lot of time to get him ready for the big league mound. Triple-A is currently about two weeks away. At the very least, that’s not enough time to prepare for a return to the mound.

For now, Manoa is on the temporarily inactive list at Triple-A. Toronto explained the move as a way to clear a roster spot in Triple-A.

It’s unclear why Manoa was demoted to the minors rather than placed on the disabled list if he’s not fully healthy.메이저놀이터

Major leaguers can earn service time when they go on the disabled list, but not when they are demoted to the minors.

Toronto currently considers Manoa unavailable for assignment. Long reliever Bowden Francis is currently considered the first option to fill the void in the starting rotation.