Angels' Alek Manoah claims he was a 'very big piece' of Blue Jays' World Series run

Right-hander Alek Manoah last made an appearance on the mound for the Toronto Blue Jays on May 29, 2024. 

The 2022 All-Star spent last season rehabbing from season-ending surgery on a torn UCL in his right elbow, throwing 38.2 innings across four minor league levels. Manoah's rehab reached Triple-A, but Toronto designated him for assignment this past September. 

He's ready to make an impact with the Los Angeles Angels, signing a one-year, $1.95 million contract in December. Manoah recently spoke with The Athletic's Sam Blum about his trials and tribulations in professional baseball over the last few seasons - he recorded a 5.87 ERA with 59 walks in 87.1 innings in 2023 after recording a 6.0 bWAR the previous year. 

Manoah feels like he played a part in Blue Jays World Series run 

Despite not throwing a single pitch at the Major League level for the Blue Jays in 2025, Manoah feels strongly that he made an impact in Toronto's run to the World Series. 

“I was a very big piece of that process, getting to that World Series run,” Manoah told Blum. “I wasn’t able to be there like I wanted to.”

The 28-year-old didn't go into detail about what kind of impact he made for the Blue Jays. "I wanted them to win it all," Manoah said. Rightfully, many baseball fans, specifically Blue Jays fans, may be confused about why Manoah believes he was a "very big" contributor to Toronto's momentous postseason run. 

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