Blue Jays Hand Out Modest Raise To Young Ace Pitcher

Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah was a Top 3 finisher for the Cy Young Award in 2022; The All-Star pitcher finished the year with a stunning 2.24 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with a 180:51 strikeout-to-walk ratio. 

But it was only his second season in the big leagues, and that means very little leverage when it comes down to contract renewal time. The Jays have handed out a very modest raise to Manoah for 2023: Just $50,000.

Alek Manoah is taking a renewal with the Toronto Blue Jays. 50K raise.

Manoah was 3rd in voting for the AL CY Young award

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 24, 2023

The 6'6" ferocious starter will earn $780,000 in 2023, his 3rd season in the majors. He made $730,000 last season. 

But Manoah won't be starving anytime soon. He did garner a pretty hefty signing bonus with Toronto after being selected in the first round—11th overall—in the 2019. That bonus was $4.54M. 

In two seasons, he's 25-9 with a combined 2.60 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings. He has a career ERA+ of 158, which means he's been 58% better than the average hurler. 

At his current trajectory, there'll be many more millions to come for the Blue Jays' ace. 

Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports