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DFA'd Blue Jays Pitcher Deemed One of 'More Intriguing' Waiver Options Available

Originally posted on Toronto Blue Jays on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 1:17 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays got back into the winner's circle on Thursday.

Their victory over the Boston Red Sox in the finale stopped a two-game losing streak and kept them at the top of the AL East standings due to their tiebreaker over the New York Yankees. And with just three contests in the regular season remaining, a division title is in their grasp.

But if the Blue Jays are going to accomplish their goal of winning the AL East for the first time in a decade, they will need a lot more from their offense when facing a Tampa Bay Rays team that can put up plenty of runs if given the opportunity.

Someone Toronto turned to for a late spark was Anthony Santander, their marquee free agency signing from this past winter who was expected to add another element of pop to this batting order. But his debut campaign has largely been a disaster, with the veteran slugger underperforming before he was placed on the long-term shelf with a left shoulder injury.

Activated on Sept. 23 from the 60-day injured list, that news was notable because he was now back in time for the team's stretch run. However, his activation also came with the news that former ace Alek Manoah was designated for assignment.

Alek Manoah Now Top Waiver Option for Multiple Teams

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This was a shocking development. The 27-year-old who finished third in AL Cy Young voting after the 2022 season was activated off the 60-day IL on Sept. 11 after he completed his Tommy John surgery rehab. While he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo upon his activation, he was still seen as someone who might be in the team's plans going forward.

But after getting DFA'd, other teams around the league will have the opportunity to claim him off waivers, which is why Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors is viewing the right-hander as someone to keep an eye on when it comes to a potential waiver claim.

"Manoah is still just 27 years old and will hardly break the bank, making him one of the more intriguing late-season waiver possibilities in recent memory," he wrote.

Will Anyone Claim Alek Manoah?

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Whether or not he gets claimed by someone isn't clear. Manoah has a ton of talent, but there's also a reason why the Blue Jays might have been comfortable designating him for assignment with the risk of losing him.

The relationship between the two sides hasn't always been great, with Manoah not liking his demotion in 2023 and telling Toronto he wouldn't pitch again for the rest of the year. Then, there were disagreements over the injuries he felt he was dealing with.

All of that seemed to be put in the past last year, but he suffered his elbow injury after just five starts. Manoah was solid in the minors this season with a 3.96 ERA across 10 starts, but the Blue Jays weren't willing to utilize him during the final stretch of the campaign or in the playoffs.

The long layoff combined with the past self-induced drama could scare some teams away. But like Deeds pointed out, someone of Manoah's profile doesn't hit waivers at this stage of their career very often. So because of that, there's a good chance he'll be with a new team starting in 2026.