Blue Jays' Manoah has shoulder soreness; MRI reveals no damage
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah is day-to-day after experiencing shoulder soreness following a bullpen session, manager John Schneider said Saturday, according to Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
Schneider added that an MRI showed no structural damage.
"(Manoah) didn't really bounce back the way he wanted," Schneider said after the pitcher hit three batters and surrendered four earned runs over 1 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers in his first Grapefruit League start.
Manoah won't make his next spring start Sunday, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.
The 26-year-old posted a 5.87 ERA with 1.74 WHIP and 59 walks in just 87 1/3 innings last season. The 2022 AL Cy Young finalist was demoted to the minors twice and received multiple injections in his arm and shoulder at the end of the season after he failed to report to Triple-A in August. However, there was no structural damage found following multiple tests.
"(The injection) was his decision, and we supported him," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said in October. "Our medical staff wasn't suggesting that. He made the decision on his own to move in that direction. He thought it would be helpful. There was one doctor there in particular who thought it potentially could be helpful for him on symptoms he was feeling that were not structural."
Manoah is competing for the fifth spot in the Blue Jays' rotation.