Seven weeks into the MLB season, some players and teams are exceeding expectations, while some are not. In the almost first two months, it has been a struggle for some teams, while some other teams that started out hot have cooled off.
Throughout a whole Major League Baseball season there are going to be ups and downs for every team, while teams will raise their stock and see their stock fall. Here are some teams that saw their stock rise up and drop over the last week.
Stock Down: Alek Manoah
If the Toronto Blue Jays are going to survive the monster that is the American League East, they are going to need Manoah to be the ace they need him to be. It has not happened yet this season and his last start against the New York Yankees on May 15 perfectly sums up his season so far.
In Toronto’s 7-4 loss, he worked four innings, he gave up five earned runs on six hits, and seven walks, and allowed two home runs. His ERA ballooned to 5.40 following the game, not something that the Blue Jays were hoping for.
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It just is not a short sample size for Manoah, it’s been a struggle all season. In nine starts, he is 1-4 in 45 innings pitched, and just 35 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.800. Last season in 31 starts, the right-hander walked 51 batters. This season, he’s already walked 32, and control issues hit rock bottom against the Yankees.
Toronto’s staff as a whole has been shaky and their offense was recently shut down by the Yankees, who three of the four games in this week’s series. Manoah’s struggles need to be figured out sooner rather than later.