Alek Manoah, the Toronto Blue Jays‘ first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, keeps showing he is a true ace.
On Saturday, he earned his 15th win of the year against a direct opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays, by hurling seven innings and allowing a single run.
He conceded just four hits and two walks, striking out eight foes.
He has a brilliant 2.31 ERA in 190.2 innings this season, so he has been everything the Jays have hoped and more.
He is, above all things, a great teammate.
Recently, the Blue Jays Twitter account posted a highlight of catcher Alejandro Kirk running the bases, with the caption “We would run through a wall for Captain Alejandro Kirk.”
Montreal TSN radio host Matthew Ross said the video was “cute and all, but it’s also embarrassing for the sport. Giving guys like this prominence feeds negative stereotypes.”
He deleted the tweet since.
Manoah Is A Good Teammate
“Go ahead and tell that 8-year-old kid who is 10lbs over weight that he should quit now,” Manoah replied via Twitter.
“Just step aside from the keyboard and let KIRK inspire those kids to continue to chase their dreams and chase greatness,” he said.
For standing up for his teammate, Manoah won a recognition.
“Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah has been named the first recipient of the Dove Men+Care sponsorship for sportsmanship by defending Alejandro Kirk from online comments on his weight. Manoah will donate his sponsorship proceeds ($100,000) to KidSport,” CTV Toronto’s Paul Ross tweeted.
INBOX: Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah has been named the first recipient of the Dove Men+Care sponsorship for sportsmanship by defending Alejandro Kirk from online comments on his weight. Manoah will donate his sponsorship proceeds ($100,000) to KidSport. @CTVToronto #NextLevel
— Paul Ross (@RealPaulRoss) September 26, 2022
Not only Manoah did win the recognition, but he also donated the money to KidSport, a Canadian nonprofit organization that gives children the opportunity to participate in organized sport.
If you are teammates with Manoah, he will have your back.
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