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Alek Manoah's start to the 2023 campaign could not have gone worse for the young Toronto Blue Jays ace. After performing as one of the top starting pitchers in baseball last season, Manoah finds himself at the other end of the spectrum this year. He appears lost on the mound, and teams are capitalizing on it, with the Houston Astros scoring six runs in the first inning on Monday night.
While many fans are fed up with Alek Manoah's underwhelming performances, the front office appears undecided on what they will do with the struggling 25-year-old pitcher. The most likely options for the Toronto Blue Jays are to demote him to Triple-A and allow him to rediscover his form or to let him figure it out at the MLB level.
"Trade Alek Manoah" - @nick_moscatello
However, there is a third and much more unlikely option. The Blue Jays could explore the trade market and see what they could fetch for the underperforming but high-potential ace. While this seems unrealistic and dramatic, crazier things have happened in the MLB, which could keep the door open.
If the Toronto Blue Jays elect to trade Manoah, it would come with an expensive price tag in order to force their hand. Here's a look at three potential landing spots for the talented, albeit struggling ace.
#1 - The Cleveland Guardians could swap Alek Manoah for their ace
The Toronto Blue Jays are in "win-now" mode, whereas the Cleveland Guardians are on the fringe of becoming either buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Again, it appears unlikely that the Blue Jays would trade Manoah, given his upside, but what if they could land Shane Bieber in return?
"BREAKING NEWS. Multiple reports have confirmed the following trade: CLE: Shane Bieber, Bo Naylor FOR TOR: Alek Manoah, Anthony Bass, Cavan Biggio + Cash Considerations" - @boflowsburner
Shane Bieber remains arbitration-eligible next season, so he would not simply be a rental, but the Blue Jays would be able to retain him at least for both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. It remains to be seen what the Guardians will do with Bieber moving forward, so they may be intrigued about acquiring a younger pitcher to work with.
#2 - The Chicago White Sox are set to blow it up
After entering the 2023 season with playoff aspirations, the Chicago White Sox have been one of the most disappointing teams in the MLB. Currently, the White Sox sit fourth in the AL Central with a 26-35 record, with many believing that the club will move on from several veterans at the trade deadline.
This is where the Toronto Blue Jays could land several pieces from the White Sox in exchange for Alek Manoah. The 25-year-old could be seen as a long-term piece for Chicago, whereas the Blue Jays could score a few veterans such as Lucas Giolito, Tim Anderson, Lance Lynn, or Liam Hendriks.
#3 - The Los Angeles Angels could be a candidate for a Manoah deal
At this rate, it appears that there is no chance that the Los Angeles Angels will be able to sign Shohei Ohtani to a long-term extension, which may force the team to explore the trade market.
While Manoah would need to be a piece of a larger trade package, some believe that the Blue Jays could be a dark-horse contender to land the two-way superstar from Los Angeles.
"TRADE IDEA (AND YES I KNOW THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN). #BlueJays acquire Shohei Ohtani from the #Angels in exchange for 2022 All Stars Alek Manoah and Santiago Espinal as well as “Super Utility” guy Cavan Biggio. Throw in every possible prospect from the #Jays to get this done." - @_jaymleung24
The Blue Jays would likely be more than happy to package Alek Manaoh, along with other pieces, in order to land the Japanese superstar from the Angels.
While this seems like a difficult blockbuster deal to complete, Manoah's upside and past success could interest the desperate Angels if they were forced to move Shohei Ohtani.
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Poll : Should the Toronto Blue Jays trade Alek Manoah?
NO WAY! Too talented!
Yep! He's cooked
20 votes
