Just a few years ago, Alek Manoah was the pulse of Toronto baseball. The right-hander’s 2022 season vaulted him to stardom and a third-place AL Cy Young finish behind Justin Verlander and Dylan Cease. His dominant 2.24 ERA and the ability to pitch 200 innings made him a fan favorite. Even while rehabbing from injury, he remained a huge figure in the organization. But now, after a shocking turn of events, it is all over for Manoah in the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays, tied with the New York Yankees for the American League East title, needed to make room to activate right fielder Anthony Santander from the 60-day injured list. So they DFA’d Manoah. They also sent their first baseman, Ty France, to the IL. Now, Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins explains the painful choice.

“These are always tough decisions. This just came down to a roster crunch and us feeling like [this was] the best decision for us to hold depth and support this staff as we push forward into very important weeks,” Atkins pointed out. “We chose others over him, obviously, so this was a very tough, very difficult decision. They always are.”  And then Atkins expressed his regret over how the situation ended for the former first-round pick.

“… Sorry, we’re at this point today.” Atkins shared via MLB’s Keegan Matheson.

The Jays’ offense has gone cold since Bo Bichette is out of the lineup. Their run production has dropped from 5.01 to 3.63 runs per game in Bichette’s absence. So they need an offensive boost from Santander, who the club signed for a five-year, $92.5 million deal, and had a promising last season when he smashed 44 homers. And though he had a .179 BA with a .577 OPS over his first 50 games so far this season, the team is counting on him.

“He’ll be in the lineup,” Manager Schneider mentioned. “Whether it’s starting, whether it’s pinch-hitting, whatever it may be…. has some things to prove a little bit here because he didn’t get off to the start he wanted to with the contract he signed. We trust him, man.”

And the decision to choose others over Manoah stems from his recent struggles.

After his amazing 2022 season, he posted a 5.87 ERA in 2023 and was even sent down to the minors. Then, in 2024, he required Tommy John surgery after just five starts. His rehab this season wasn’t encouraging either. While his 3.96 ERA in the minors looks okay, his strikeout and walk rates were poor. But now, what’s next for Manoah?

When the decision became public around September 24, Keegan Matheson expected Manoah to compete for a rotation spot next spring, given his team control. The Blue Jays would have to wait and see if another team claimed him on waivers, and if not, then they could’ve decided to move on or stay.

But fate has other plans…

It looks like Toronto didn’t have to wait long for an answer as the Atlanta Braves claimed Manoah off waivers on September 26. Manoah is owed around $2.2 million next season, a tiny salary for a starting pitcher. It was their ninth signing in the past two months after Ha-Seong Kim, Jake Fraley, Joey Wentz, Vidal Bruján, Brett Wisely, Joel Payamps, Chuckie Robinson, and Alexis Díaz.

And this fresh start in Atlanta is a perfect landing spot for the right-hander who had only ever known one organization.

The Braves’ 2026 rotation is filled with question marks. Chris Sale is aging, and Spencer Strider has not been himself since returning from his injury. Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach are dealing with significant injuries. So, if Manoah regains his form, Atlanta will control the former All-Star through the 2027 season. But the best part for the Braves is the flexibility from this move.

Manoah still has minor league options remaining. This means Atlanta can stash him at Triple-A Gwinnett if he doesn’t earn a rotation spot out of spring training. Yet what surprised us the most was that several teams with far worse records passed on him. Clubs like the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox declined to put in a claim. For a team like the Rockies, who have a league-worst 6.02 ERA, passing on a cheap arm with Manoah’s upside was head-scratching.

But now, for Alek Manoah, this is a golden opportunity to reset his career. And we will wait to see if the former fan favorite finds his magic again in Atlanta…