Blue Jays’ Alek Manoah jokes about what he said in dustup with Red Sox hitters
Manoah gave up one run in six innings, striking out seven Red Sox hitters to help give the Blue Jays a 4-1 win on Saturday.
Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah certainly went out loud in the final at-bats of his start on Saturday against the Red Sox.
The righty struck out three straight Red Sox hitters after giving up a single to Alex Verdugo to start the sixth inning and keep the Blue Jays’ lead at 3-1. It only took Manoah three pitches to get Xander Bogaerts out, getting the shortstop to whiff at an inside changeup for strike three.
Manoah struck out Franchy Cordero on an inside slider in the following at-bat. After winning the five-pitch battle, Manoah seemed to have said some words to himself on the mound, causing Cordero to stare in his direction. When Manoah saw Cordero starting at him, he told Cordero to “sit the [expletive] down.”
Bobby Dalbec, who homered off Manoah in the second inning, whiffed at two fastballs before watching a third fastball land in the zone to go out for strike three, ending the inning. Manoah looked toward Dalbec and the Red Sox’ dugout, pounding his chest with his glove and flexed a little bit before heading toward the Blue Jays’ dugout.
Dalbec appeared to take exception with what Manoah did, looking back to say something to the pitcher. Manoah turned back to Dalbec and said “sit down [expletive] as a pair of Blue Jays teammates ushered him into the dugout before things escalated even more.
Manoah joked about his exchange with Dalbec following the game.
“I think I said, ‘Let’s go get some BioSteel.’ He’s like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna go get some Gatorade. ‘So I was like, ‘No, you need to go sit down. I’m going to get some BioSteel,'” Manoah, who recently signed an endorsement deal with BioSteel, jokingly told reporters.
For Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Manoah’s trash-talking was just his team getting served a slice of humble pie. The Red Sox have lost four in a row, with three of them being double-digit blowouts. Saturday’s loss also meant the Red Sox will reamain without a series win against an AL East opponent this season.
“Nobody’s gonna feel sorry for us. He showed it today, right?” Cora said. “In the sixth inning, he was looking in the dugout, screaming at us, and yeah, this is where we’re at.”
Manoah, who’s 24 and pitching in his first full major league season, has a fiery style that’s given him success against the Red Sox. He’s 3-0 in five career starts against Boston, posting a 1.74 ERA and has struck out 29 Red Sox hitters over 31 innings pitched.
Manoah explained why he was so fired up though on Saturday in particular.
“Just competitive baseball, man,” Manoah said. “It’s hot baseball. Those guys are trying to do everything they can to win, we’re trying to do the same on our side. I was pretty fired-up coming into the dugout and that we were able to get the win.
“My competitiveness is something that I know I can control. So, for me being able to show I’m competitive, having that will to win, expecting nothing less, is basically what I try to do every day.”
Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider showed appreciation for his young All-Star’s approach to the game.
“We all know he’s an emotional guy and I think that’s what makes him elite, the way he competes,” Schneider said. “When guys are comfortable, that’s the best version of them [and fired-up] is when he’s comfortable.
“We saw it in the All-Star Game. He’s a big personality and it’s a fine line of competing and sportsmanship and gamesmanship. Today, the way the game is going, guys are going to celebrate when they do well, whether its offensively or on the mound. I was good with it.”
The struggling Sox will get one last crack at the Jays to avoid a series sweep on Sunday. They’ll go up against Ross Stripling, who’s 5-3 with a 3.03 ERA this season while they’ll have rookie Bryan Bello on the bump for his third big league bump.
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