Alek Manoah Dominates Triple-A Start with Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins in Attendance

Atkins's presence at the ballpark is significant, as it indicates Manoah may be closer than anticipated to a major-league call-up. After tonight's masterful performance, the Blue Jays may be forced to finally give the kid a shot. 

Manoah worked with lightning efficiency in the first inning, needing just six pitches to retire the Rochester Red Wings in order. He threw a first pitch strike to all three hitters, getting a pop-up and two groundouts. 

The 6'6" right-hander kept it rolling in the second, blowing three quick fastballs past former big-leaguer Yasmany Tomas and then snapped off a devastating slider to freeze Red Wings first basemen Raudy Read for his second strikeout of the inning. 

The third inning wasn't as easy. Manoah flew open a bit with his delivery as he walked a man and then hit a batter – his fourth hit batsman of the year – before inducing a timely 6-4-3 double play. 

Manoah broke out the slider to punch out two more batters in the fourth. Red Wings second basement Jake Noll jumped out of the way, only to have Manoah's pitch break right down the middle for strike three. 

The Red Wings offense couldn't muster anything in the fifth, as Manoah went one-two-three once again.

After a lead-off double broke his no-hit bid in the sixth, Manoah shut down the Red Wings lineup again, giving up one walk, but placing another perfect front-door breaking ball for his fifth whiff of the game.

After making an impressive jump from Low-A ball in 2019 to Triple-A this season, Manoah appears to have seamlessly adapted to high-level competition – a good sign, especially for Blue Jays fans clamoring for his promotion to the Blue Jays roster. 

Manoah, like fellow Jays pitching prospect Simeon Woods Richardson, was nearly unhittable against MLB hitters in spring training this year. Manoah pitched seven innings, giving up just one hit, walking none and striking out 15 batters, including a remarkable seven consecutive strikeouts against several of the Yankees starters. 

Toronto hasn't given a definitive timeline as to when we might see Manoah at the major league level, but with Nate Pearson's recent demotion and a slew of injuries to the pitching staff, Manoah looks ready to contribute at the big-league level as soon as possible.