Blue Jays encouraged by Alek Manoah’s quiet progress

HOUSTON – Quietly, Alek Manoah is making progress behind the scenes and the Blue Jays will soon learn more about how close the right-hander is to becoming an option for the big-league team.

Manoah felt good after throwing close to 50 pitches in a three-inning simulated game in Dunedin, Fla. Tuesday with rehabbing catcher Danny Jansen behind the plate. The 26-year-old struck out six while topping out around 96 m.p.h. on the radar gun, according to manager John Schneider.

“He did really well,” Schneider said. “Command was good and velo was good.” 

Next up for Manoah will likely be a game appearance this Sunday in Dunedin against Detroit’s Class A Lakeland affiliate with four innings and approximately 65 pitches expected. That would officially start his rehab clock, giving him 30 days to return to the majors from the shoulder inflammation that slowed his spring progression and landed him on the injured list.

An outing this weekend would mark the first time Manoah’s faced hitters from a different organization since Feb. 27, when he made his Grapefruit League debut against the Tigers. After that appearance, his shoulder felt “really heavy, really cranky,” which led to a couple of weeks of treatment and recovery work, delaying his 2024 debut.

If this weekend’s start goes well, the Blue Jays would likely push Manoah to the upper minors afterward, according to Schneider. Should Manoah succeed at double-A or triple-A and build up to five innings and 75-80 pitches, he’d very soon start to look like a viable option for the big-league rotation.

In the meantime, the fifth spot in the rotation belongs to Bowden Francis, who will face the Yankees in New York on Sunday after struggling against the Astros in his season debut Monday. Houston’s game plan was excellent against Francis, as they ambushed high fastballs on a night the 27-year-old had an effective curve.

Facing Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and the Yankees this weekend, some adjustments will be needed for Francis as he makes his second big-league start. Opponents are now planning for him in a way they never did last year when he had the element of surprise coming out of the bullpen. But there were some positives for Francis, who didn’t hesitate to attack the strike zone against Houston’s formidable lineup.

It’s not yet clear what the Blue Jays would do if Francis builds on his impressive spring with improved big-league results and Manoah’s rehab progresses to the point that he’s also ready to contribute in the majors. But they’re not at that point yet, and player performance typically makes those decisions simpler with time. If not, it’s a great problem for the Blue Jays to have.

Meanwhile, at triple-A, Yariel Rodriguez impressed in his season debut, throwing four hitless innings while striking out six and sitting at 92.4 m.p.h. on a cold day in Worcester Monday. The Blue Jays sent the Cuban right-hander to their Buffalo affiliate partly because it’s easier to make sure he gets regular reps in an environment where development is the primary goal, but he’s clearly a big-league calibre arm. 

At a certain point, the Blue Jays will decide that the long-term advantages of steady development in the minor leagues no longer outweigh the immediate-term need for impact pitching in the majors. On stuff alone, Rodriguez offers more upside than someone like Wes Parsons, who struggled in relief Wednesday night, allowing two home runs to the Astros. But equally, there’s little sense in rushing a player who didn’t pitch professionally last year.

In Rodriguez, Manoah and prospect Ricky Tiedemann, the Blue Jays do have some intriguing starting options pushing closer to the majors. That’s a positive considering the inevitable need for pitching during a six-month season. Then again, it’s not the arms that are the Blue Jays’ biggest concern right now.