"We're a rehab center" - Braves fans ridicule the team for claiming Alek Manoah off waivers from Blue Jays

On Friday, the Atlanta Braves acquired right-handed starting pitcher Alek Manoah off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays, after the 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the AL East outfit on September 23.

The Braves took to X to announce the move.

"The #Braves today claimed and optioned RHP Alek Manoah off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred INF Ozzie Albies to the 60-day injured list." the post read

Reacting to the post, several fans left comments ridiculing the Braves, calling the organization out for acquiring a player with a concerning injury history.

"We’re a rehab center" a fan commented

"This is literally the equivalent of taking an old chair that someone left at the curb for garbage pickup." another fan wrote

"This had AA written all over it. Goodwill shopping at its finest" another fan replied

"Assembling a squad of AAAA players" another fan responded

"Is there any washed up stray we don’t pick up? This front office has gotten so predictable, it’s become a running joke with the fanbase." another fan posted

"Oh joy... bargain bin is where we live apparently." another fan shared

The Braves will be hoping to help Alek Manoah get back to his best

Though recent years have not been kind to him, Alek Manoah was once seen as one of the brightest talents in the big leagues.

After being selected as the 11th overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Manoah impressed at minor league level for the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays' triple-A affiliate. He was handed his big league debut on May 27, 2021. Making twenty starts in his rookie season, Manoah finished with an impressive 9–2 record, along with a 3.22 ERA and 127 strikeouts.

Alek Manoah in action for the Toronto Blue Jays - Source: Getty

After showing glimpses of his sky-high potential in 2021, Manoah truly took off in 2022. Finishing the season with an excellent 16–7 record, along with a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts, Manoah earned his first All-Star selection, while also finishing third in the AL Cy Young voting, behind Dylan Cease and Justin Verlander.

Unfortunately for Manoah, he was never able to replicate his exploits from 2022. He struggled to begin the 2023 season, with a series of demotions to the minor leagues following. Issues with consisteny, and repeated injuries eventually spelled the end of his time in Toronto.

Though Alek Manoah's acquisition has not gone down well with all members of the fanbase, there is quite a lot of potential upside to the deal, if the Braves succeed in helping him get back to his best.

About the author

Raghav Mehta is a baseball journalist at Sportskeeda awaiting results for a Bachelor's in Journalism from Delhi University. He enjoys highlighting the key battles between players at different stages of the game and analyzing the decisive moments upon which they hinge.

One of Raghav's favorite moments, which underscores this, was the Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout clash in the 2023 WBC, where two of baseball's best players faced off against each other in the 9th inning. With the score 3-2 to Japan, Shohei eventually got the strikeout, which was absolute cinema.

Raghav is a Baltimore Orioles fan and is enjoying watching such an exciting young team compete at the top in a very competitive division.

Raghav has loved watching sports for as long as he can remember and realized he was pretty decent at writing his thoughts down at around the age of 14. Combining the two meant he had something he would enjoy doing every day, and he had identified that well before going to college.

Aside from work, Raghav enjoys playing sports, working out and watching movies.

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Edited by Raghav Mehta