BALTIMORE — When Alek Manoah, or the big cat as his manager likes to call him, ascends the slope to the Camden Yards mound on Wednesday, it will be in another of the elevated game situations that fills his tank.
The larger the stage, the better for a young, big-armed pitcher fast gaining the reputation as one of the best in the game.
From the all-star game in July, to the showdown with Gerrit Cole at Yankee Stadium last month, to his impressive durability, Manoah shines in the spotlight.
So with a chance perhaps not to bury but certainly maim the Orioles post-season chances in the finale of this four game series, well, there are few places he’d rather be than on the Camden Yards mound..
“It’s huge, being out here in big moments trying to help my team get to where we want to get,” Manoah said in an interview. “This is what I work so hard for. This time of year. These kinds of games.”
That approach has earned Manoah the admiration of his teammates and trust from the coaching staff, a rarity for a starter working through his first full year in the majors.
“His mindset is different,” Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said. “He’s just a competitive guy. He likes the limelight. He likes to be out there in the big game. You can tell he’s not scared of it by any stretch.
“He welcomes it. From Day 1, he hasn’t shied away from the big game.”
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He hasn’t ran from a hefty workload, either. In fact, the 24-year-old has embraced going deep into games, avoiding the injured list and piling up innings like no Toronto starter has in years.
With 163 innings pitched heading into Wednesday’s start, Manoah has a shot at becoming the first Jays starter to hit 200 innings in a season since Marcus Stroman clocked 201 in 2017.
The prospect of reaching it will depend on whether Manoah has five remaining starts or six starts remaining, a breakdown likely tied to how meaningful the final three games of the season are.
Reaching that milestone — or at least coming in the shadow of it — is significant for a workhorse like Manoah, who thrives on going deep into games.
“It would mean a lot,” Manoah said. ‘It means you’re a guy who can go out there and have your teammates count on you to go deep into games. I take pride in being able to do that and work to keep getting better at it the more I pitch.”
Schneider and Walker lean towards caution with Manoah’s workload — very much the Blue Jays way — which often leads to a familiar conversation when the manager heads to the mound late in a game to call it a night.
“He said, ‘I’ve got at least one more (inning)’ which is what Alek always kind of says,” Schneider said of once such visit this past Friday in Pittsburgh.
That doesn’t mean the Jays don’t believe Manoah can handle it — they just want to have him at his best for the large assignments that await.
“He’s reaching new career highs every time he goes out and I think his stuff is just so good,” Schneider said. “You trust him in big spots, whether it’s the third time or fourth time (through the order) or whatever.
“He’s really just proven when it’s time to go and make a pitch, he’s really good at that. You trust him. Doing what he’s doing is just a good stepping stone as we go into September.”
Manoah isn’t taking anything for granted, however, altering his workload to handle the rigours of a full MLB season. He said that between starts he’s relying on long tossing rather than bullpen sessions.
“It helps me keep my arm loose and opens up my shoulders,” Manoah said. “I’m finding it’s the right amount of work to keep strong at this part of the season.”
Wednesday’s assignment will be Manoah’s 27th start of the season and he is currently bulling his way through one of his best stretches of the season. To wit: The big man has allowed just two earned runs over 20.1 innings across his previous three starts.
“He’s a big physical guy and he takes care of himself,” Walker said. “His routine has been outstanding this year. He’s done a great job with his arm care and has maintained his stuff throughout the season.
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“He’s a guy who just doesn’t seem to let his stuff fall off. In fact, he gets stronger. He’s showing all the signs of a guy who is doing everything right when you get to this point of the season and you look extremely strong for the final stretch.”
And he’s done it his own way, letting his larger than life personality thrive along with his talent. The night before his previous start, he was on the sidelines at Heinz Field as his alma mater, West Virginia, was facing Pitt in the Backyard Brawl.
The following afternoon, he delivered one of his best outings of the season.
“I think (his teammates) have to (feed off of Manoah’s energy),” Schneider said. “Not only what he’s doing on the mound, but his energy between innings when he’s pitching, which is very unique.
“He’s right in the middle of everything.”
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