MLB Rumors: Mets dumpster fire, Acuña is our Ty Cobb, more Alek Manoah drama

MLB Rumors: Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah is injured after all

Alek Manoah's nightmare season has finally come to an end. While the Blue Jays continue to fight for an AL Wild Card berth, they will do so without their former ace, who has been demoted twice on the season. Manoah as received multiple injections in his arm, whihc quite frankly never seemed right in 2023.

Manoah did not take kindly to his second demotion to Buffalo, and it's unclear if he ever reported to the team. Essentially, he was taking up a roster spot in Triple-A from another player who could have used a promotion, and perhaps set themselves up to make the postseason roster. Per Nick Ashbourne of Yahoo Sports, Manoah's demotion was critical from a salary perspective, which may explain his attitude towards the entire matter.

"That's crucial for the right-hander because prior to 2023 he was on track for "Super Two" status that would allow him to go through salary arbitration four times instead of the usual three, boosting his earning potential by a significant margin. Now, it seems like he'll be on track to earn approximately the MLB minimum in 2024, followed by three salary-arbitration seasons."

This sets up a looming arbitration crisis, as there's a chance Manoah can prove that the team demoted him rather than simply placing him on the IL. This would help him receive more money via the arbitration process in 2024, though it will complicate his relationship with the Blue Jays front office.

Manoah had an ERA of 5.87 this season. To put it frankly, he was not very good. A demotion would have been in order for any pitcher with those numbers. However, if he was injured, Toronto could be in some trouble.