The Angels pulled the plug on the Alek Manoah experiment Wednesday, officially releasing the 28-year-old right-hander from his minor league contract.
Manoah made only three major league appearances with the Angels in May before he was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He had a 9.82 ERA (6.79 FIP) at the time of his demotion, and fared similarly with the Angels' top farm team.
In 10 starts, Manoah was 1-7 with a 16.14 ERA. He walked 42 batters and allowed 45 hits in 30.2 innings, an almost unfathomably poor 2.84 WHIP.
The Angels didn't necessarily expect much from Manoah after taking a flier on him in free agency. He did not appear in a major league game for the Toronto Blue Jays after undergoing a hybrid internal brace/UCL replacement surgery in May 2024.
Manoah's spring training performance - a 9.39 ERA and 14 walks in 15.1 innings - made it clear the Angels had better options for their starting rotation this season.
Manoah's only spring training with the Angels was interrupted by a fingernail issue that forced him to begin the season on the 15-day injured list. Once healthy, Manoah never got on track.
Not only did Manoah never round back into the form that made him an All-Star for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, he did nothing to distinguish himself among the team's other Triple-A arms, a group that includes George Klassen , Caden Dana , and Sam Aldegheri .
Manoah is the latest to join a growing line of free agent signings that didn't pan out for since-fired general manager Perry Minasian last winter.
Left-handed pitcher Drew Pomeranz was released in June, the same month infielder Nick Madrigal was designated for assignment. Closer Jordan Romano was released in April. Third baseman Yoan Moncada had a .605 OPS before a knee injury sent him to the injured list.
Optimistically, veteran reliever Kirby Yates (0-5, 3.55 ERA) might fetch a useful minor league prospect at the trade deadline. Among the other newcomers, infielder Vaughn Grissom (.746 OPS) and outfielder Wade Meckler - who was claimed off waivers, designated for assignment, and returned on a minor league deal in the span of a month - look like the only keepers in the group.
Manoah's numbers with Salt Lake City were inflated by the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League. But unless he can control the ball better, he'll have a hard time latching on anywhere in affiliated baseball.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/angels/onsi as Angels Cut Former All-Star With 16.14 ERA at Triple-A .
