Alek Manoah continued his rehab at triple-A Buffalo Sunday afternoon with his longest start of the season.
Facing the Indianapolis Indians for the second time this week, Manoah used 86 pitches to complete six innings of two-run ball. The former MLB all-star struck out three in the outing, walking four and allowing five hits.
Manoah allowed both of his runs in the second inning after issuing a one-out walk to Nick Yorke before Sammy Siani pulled a two-run homer to right field. He walked a tightrope the rest of the frame, as the next two hitters reached via double and walk, but Manoah escaped without any further damage with back-to-back punchouts.
The 27-year-old right-hander primarily threw his sinker throughout his appearance, averaging 92.4 m.p.h. with the offering while mixing in a slider, changeup and four-seam fastball. His changeup was particularly effective, earning six swing-and-misses on the afternoon.
Of Manoah’s 86 pitches, 57 landed for strikes in what was his fourth outing with the Bisons as he works back from UCL reconstruction surgery.
On Tuesday, Toronto’s 2019 first-rounder allowed three unearned runs over 5.1 against Indianapolis, recording five strikeouts. In total, he has now made seven rehab starts after pitching once each for the complex-level Blue Jays, single-A Dunedin and double-A New Hampshire.
Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported on Aug. 22 that Manoah’s 30-day rehab window had been extended by the Blue Jays — one of three possible extensions the team can use. If Toronto were to use all three, it could potentially extend his rehab through Sept. 12.