The Pitch Clock Has Turned Alek Manoah Into A Shell Of Himself And The Blue Jays Don't Really Have a Choice But To Send Him Down To The Minors After Tonight's Implosion

Mark Blinch. Getty Images.

Coming into the 2023 MLB season every player was forced to make some kind of an adjustment to the new rules being implemented. Whether it was pitchers needing to quicken their pace to the plate, infielders getting used to not playing on the grass, batters getting ready in their stance quick, change had arrived and it was on the players to figure it out. Seemingly everyone by now has done so besides one pitcher on the Toronto Blue Jays by the name of Alek Manoah. 

In our predictions show for Barstool Baseball I theorized the quickened pace would be a major issue for the big man considering he was not fast to plate whatsoever in the past and as a result would get tired out too quickly. My comments lit a fire across the Jays' fanbase and even got the attention of Manoah himself who laughed it off. 

I could have never imagined it would be this bad. Here's his game log entering tonight's home game against the Astros. 

Then tonight happened

Stunning. The man got one out before being yanked as the Astros batted around and shelled him. The only out recorded was a 374 foot flyout from the bat of Alex Bregman. Imagine being retired by Manoah tonight? Bregman gonna have to get in the film room and fix his swing. 

Following the grand slam Manoah served up two more singles before the Jays skipper had seen enough. Those fans who came at me for predicting their beloved pitcher's demise? In shambles. 

Here's what Schneider had to say before the game on Manoah's struggles potentially leading to a demotion. 

"A bit of a tough time" is certainly one way to describe his year so far. 

We're talking about a 25 year old who finished in the top 3 of AL Cy Young voting. He was a fucking monster. An obnoxious, insufferable monster, but still very much a monster. The year before that during his rookie campaign he posted a very respectable 3.22 ERA over 111.2 innings. What the fuck happened? 

I mean it's hard to argue against the pitch clock being the main culprit here. The new rules have forced Manoah to pick up his pace, which as a result has diminished his mechanics and his mental game. The dude has lost all belief in his arsenal. Those mind games he used to play out there? Long gone. His slider, which used to be a weapon against all hitters, has turned into the worst pitch in major league baseball. In just 57.2 IP this year he's walked 42 hitters. In 196.2 IP in 2022 he issued just 51 free passes. 

I know the Blue Jays don't necessarily have the luxury of calling up someone else in place of a dude of Manoah's capability, but how how can you not right now? Not only is he not giving you a chance to win out there, but he's taxing the shit out of your pen on a regular basis. Manoah has recorded an out in the 6th inning once since April 22nd. In his last six starts he's completed five innings just once. At least in the minors he'll be able to boost his confidence a bit against inferior hitters. He's gotta be able to get AAA hitters out right? Right? I'm sure he'll be able to rebound at some point, but if they keep throwing him out there every 5th day like they are currently I don't see how this flips on its head just like that. 

Maybe if he worried about being a competent MLB pitcher more than calling out Gerrit Cole he wouldn't be in this position.

 One guy worked all offseason to adjust to the new rules and the other is on the verge of being sent to the minor leagues. In the words of an old friend, you hate to see it.