Dunedin, Fla. — Blue Jays ace Alec Manoh isn’t resting on his laurels after an All-Star season last year.
The 25-year-old staff ace is like a sponge in the team’s player development complex, regularly watching other pitchers’ throwing sessions and gathering as much information as possible by interacting with teammates and coaches.
He said, ‘I am a big fan of this game. “I love learning and seeing what people are working on.”
He also became fast friends with new teammate Chris Bassitt, who signed a three-year deal with Toronto in the off-season.
Manoh is picking the brains of the experienced starter and he is regularly throwing partners on the practice field. The big right-handed batsman also took part in Kevin Gausman’s throwing session on Sunday and they got a chance to bounce ideas off each other.
Manoah said, “The boys are looking really good.” “Some people are adding some pitches and some people are making slight changes in their deliveries. For me personally, I like to see his side (of the session).
Bassitt, 34, has been one of the more reliable starters in the game in his eight big-league seasons. He has a 46–34 career mark, a 3.45 earned-run average and is known for keeping opposing hitters off balance.
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“He throws like 40 (different) pitches,” Manoh joked. “Just being able to see the release points and how he uses his body, some of the mental cues that he uses, can help me in so many different ways.
“I’m very fortunate to throw with him, train with him, and be his teammate.”
Bassitt went 15–9 with a 3.42 ERA last season for the New York Mets. He joins a rotation that includes Jose Berrios but is not yet a finalized fifth starter.
Yusei Kikuchi and Mitch White are considered favorites to land the role this spring. It is possible that Hyun Jin Ryu, who is still recovering from Tommy John surgery last June, could return later in the season.
Manoh, meanwhile, finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 after going 16–7 with a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, “Confidence has never been an issue with him, that’s all we know.” “But I think[he’s]a little more well-versed in his routine. He’s speaking up a little more and taking a little more leadership role, which is great.
“That’s a big part of what we do.”
Manoh went 9-2 in 20 overs in his rookie season and showed last year that it was no fluke. He said he’s working on a few things in his pitching repertoire, but didn’t raise his hand when asked Sunday.
He also said that improving his defensive skill set is a priority during camp.
“I think over the course of a major league season some little things can really add up,” he said. “It escalates in the playoffs.”
In other news Sunday, Schneider said there was no update on when catcher Alejandro Kirk might join the team in camp. Kirk’s fiancee is due to give birth any day now.
The captain also said that it will be up to the players to decide whether the team’s blue home run jackets return this year. In the last two seasons it was worn in the dugout after a player went into the yard.
“Home runs are great and I think you celebrate them,” said Schneider. “But I also think the overall message, whether it’s wearing a jacket or doing something in the dugout, is we want to celebrate more than just home runs.
“We want to focus on catching the ball and we want to focus on getting on base and things like that.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 19, 2023.
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