Alek Manoah’s Spring Struggles Create Competition in Angels Rotation

TEMPE, Ariz. — Right-hander Alek Manoah entered Spring Training expected to be part of the Los Angeles Angels’ starting rotation, but recent outings have complicated that outlook.

Manoah has struggled in back-to-back starts during Cactus League play, potentially opening a competition for the club’s fifth rotation spot.

Manoah signed a one-year, $1.95 million contract with the Angels during the offseason and was initially projected to slot into the rotation. However, his recent performances have raised questions about whether he will secure that role before Opening Day.

According to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, the right-hander ran into trouble during a start against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, allowing four runs on eight hits across four innings. That outing followed another difficult appearance against the Oakland Athletics in which he walked five batters and surrendered five runs over 2 1/3 innings.

Despite the results, Manoah remained optimistic after the outing, noting that he managed to limit damage in key moments.

“I compete every day for everything,” Manoah said. “So whatever [GM] Perry [Minasian] has in mind for me, whatever the coaching staff has in mind for me, my job is to compete every time I take the rubber, to go out there and throw the [heck] out of the ball. So I’m going to keep doing that.”

Manoah, who was an All-Star with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022, still has two Minor League options remaining. That gives the Angels the flexibility to send him to Triple-A Salt Lake if he does not regain form before the club’s March 26 opener in Houston against the Houston Astros.

While his control improved slightly in the outing against Chicago, Manoah still required 81 pitches to complete four innings and also threw a wild pitch. The White Sox had multiple extra-base hits, including a three-run homer by Austin Hays on an 0-2 slider in the first inning.

Korey Lee added a double in the second, while Colson Montgomery connected for a solo home run in the third. Later, Tristan Peters drove a double off the wall in the fourth inning.

“It was definitely a battle,” Manoah said. “First inning, get punched in the mouth. But I thought it was great. Thought I responded well. Kept attacking.”

Another concern has been Manoah’s velocity. His fastball averaged 91.6 mph during the outing, down from the 93.3 mph he averaged in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Last season, he made 10 Minor League rehab appearances but did not pitch in the Majors.

Still, Manoah remains in contention for a rotation spot, though competition is emerging. Right-hander Jack Kochanowicz has impressed this spring with a 2.08 ERA and just one walk across 8 2/3 innings. Meanwhile, Angels prospect George Klassen has also pitched well, posting a 2.25 ERA with nine strikeouts in eight innings.

Manager Kurt Suzuki said the decision remains unsettled as the Angels continue evaluating pitchers during camp.

“He’s still definitely in the mix,” Suzuki said of Manoah. “We haven’t decided on anything. There are a lot of guys still going, still pitching.”

For Manoah, the focus remains on refining his mechanics and trusting the process.

“Right now, it’s kind of a little bit of a process and result kind of thing,” Manoah said. “We know that if we continue to hammer out the process, the end result will be great, but at the same time, you have to go out there and compete.”