Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Alek Manoah is expected to be placed on the 60-day disabled list when spring training begins. Teams cannot place injured players on the roster until spring training begins, but Manoah, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, is a strong candidate once eligible.
The 60-day clock begins on the first day of the regular season, meaning Manoah will not be eligible to return until the end of May. However, he isn’t scheduled to return until at least August, so the Jays’ decision-making should be unaffected. On Tuesday, MLBTradeRumors published a complete list of players who could be placed on the 60-day injured list.
If and when he is placed on the 60-day injured list, Toronto will have a 40-man roster slot available, allowing them to make another trade to supplement the squad. For example, they’ve been linked to third baseman Alex Bregman this summer.
Manoah, 26, made just five starts in 2024, finishing 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA. He struck out 26 batters in 24.1 innings, displaying some of the qualities that made him one of baseball’s best pitchers in 2022. Manoah made the All-Star team in 2022, going 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA. He also placed third in the American League Cy Young voting, which helped the Jays advance to the playoffs.
However, Manoah’s 2023 season was a disaster, with a 3-9 record and a 5.87 earned run average. He was demoted to the minor levels and spent the rest of the season on the injured list. He was hurt in spring training 2024 as well, and he began the year in Triple-A before being summoned back up and injured again. When Manoah returns, he will have to reclaim his spot in the rotation. The Blue Jays presently have five starting pitchers: Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, and Max Scherzer.
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