“Usually, when I talk to myself, nobody talks back” - Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah entertains MLB fans worldwide with his commentary while pitching in MLB All-Star Game

Being alone on the mound can be pretty lonely. Thankfully, Toronto Blue Jays star Alek Manoah had someone to talk to during the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.

The ace pitcher for the Blue Jays was mic'd up during the American League's 3-2 win over the National League. And sufficient to say, it's baseball gold.

Manoah certainly earned some fans with his brilliant pitching skills and garnered some more with his colorful commentary.

The hurler impressed everyone with his calls on the mound. Baseball columnists, personalities and fans were appreciative of his enthusiasm for the game.

The Toronto Blue Jays starter entered the game in the second inning. He was paired with teammate Alejandro Kirk as his catcher. Both men made their first All-Star appearances.

Manoah struck out all three of the four hitters he faced but gave up a hit by pitch. He first faced Atlanta Braves catcher William Contreras. The pitcher asked the booth how hard he was throwing as they could relay it to him. He then yelled, "Here we go! There's one!" after striking out Contreras with a sinker.

The following at-bat, he struck out San Francisco Giants slugger Joc Pederson. The third batter he faced, however, was the most interesting one.

Facing New York Met Jeff McNeil, Manoah asked broadcaster and Hall of Famer John Smoltz which pitch he should go for.

Smoltz stated that Manoah should go for a backdoor slider down and in. This had mixed results as Manoah lost control of the ball and hit McNeil in the foot.

That would be the only dent in the Toronto Blue Jays pitcher's outing. The following at-bat, he struck out Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr.

Manoah was ecstatic and exclaimed, "Right down the middle, but we'll take it three punches! Let's go!"

The pitcher also stated after the game that when he usually talks to himself, no one answers back, much to the amusement of fans.

Toronto Blue Jays' Alek Manoah embodied the MLB All-Star Game spirit

One of the reasons why the All-Star Game was established was to showcase the talents of the best players in the league.

Another reason is for the players to show their true emotions for the game and just enjoy it.

Finally, it is also a chance for the fans to interact and have fun watching the best players on the field or at home.

If the Toronto Blue Jays ace had just been known for electric pitches before, he would certainly be known for his electric personality now.

About the author

Daniel Santiago is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. He was drawn towards the sport after the underlying statistics and the analysis surrounding it grabbed his attention.

Daniel particularly enjoys furnishing reports about historic events in baseball and analyzing the game through a statistic-based outlook, based on Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference. This is in line with how he enjoyed watching baseball as a pastime. As a writer, he is very particular about cross-checking from reputable sources and doing his due diligence.

He became a lifelong Hideki Matsui fan after his exploits in the 2009 World Series for the New York Yankees. Among the current generation, Daniel's favorites include Shohei Ohtani and Jung Hoo Lee. Daniel is a huge follower of Asian baseball and both Ohtani and Lee have been in the top echelon of their respective leagues during their time with the NPB and KBO.

His favorite moment as a baseball fan was the final at-bat of the 2023 World Baseball Classic between Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. He believes there aren't many words to fittingly describe the intensity of the moment.

As an avid sports fan, Daniel watches other sports and Esports when not writing about baseball.

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