ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) \u2014 The Los Angeles Angels have signed right-hander Alek Manoah to a one-year, $1.95 million contract as the former All-Star continues his comeback from elbow surgery.<\/p>\n
The Angels announced the deal Tuesday with Manoah, who hasn\u2019t pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery<\/a> in June 2024.<\/p>\n Manoah had spent his entire professional career with the Toronto Blue Jays, who drafted the Florida native 11th overall in 2019. He reached the majors in 2021 and was a rising star in 2022, when he made the AL All-Star team and finished third in the Cy Young Award voting while going 16\u20137 with a 2.24 ERA and 180 strikeouts.<\/p>\n But Manoah had a miserable start to 2023, eventually getting sent to the minors to fix control issues. He made five starts for the Jays in 2024 before he was sidelined by surgery.<\/p>\n He returned to the minors this year, making 10 rehab starts with a 3.96 ERA before he was designated for assignment in late September<\/a> by eventual AL champion Toronto. The Atlanta Braves claimed him off waivers, but decided last week to non-tender him.<\/p>\n Los Angeles just added respected pitching coach Mike Maddux to new manager Kurt Suzuki\u2019s staff<\/a>, and Manoah is the second once-promising starter recovering from major injury to join the Angels in the offseason.<\/p>\n Last month, Los Angeles acquired former top prospect Grayson Rodriguez<\/a> from Baltimore in a trade for outfielder Taylor Ward, betting that Maddux and the Angels\u2019 staff can help Rodriguez to fulfill his considerable potential.<\/p>\n Rodriguez and Manoah didn\u2019t pitch in the majors at all in 2025, but they\u2019ll both hope to be in the running for a spot in the Angels\u2019 rotation in 2026.<\/p>\n Manoah\u2019s control problems in 2023 had a direct effect on the Angels: He hit Ward in the face<\/a> with a fastball that July, ending the slugger\u2019s season.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n