Alek Manoah's spring confirmed what the Angels should have already known

When new Los Angeles Angels’ manager Kurt Suzuki announced there’d be an open competition for the final two spots in the rotation, nearly every fan rolled their eyes at the message. Despite signaling competition, it was very clear that if newcomers Alek Manoah and Grayson Rodriguez were healthy, they’d be rounding out the rotation behind the trio of Jose Soriano, Yusei Kikuchi, and Reid Detmers.

However, now it’s time for Suzuki to put truth to the idea of an open competition and ensure his newest free agent starter begins the 2026 season in Salt Lake City. 

Angels cannot start season with Alek Manoah as their fifth starter

Through his first two appearances of spring training, Manoah was making the Angels look like geniuses for signing him. The former Cy Young finalist had yet to allow a single run in five innings pitched, and his velocity was up from his last stint in the big leagues. The Angels' rotation was beginning to take shape, as Rodriguez had flashed the same potential (with admittedly poor results) he did last time he was healthy with the Baltimore Orioles.

However, things change fast in the big leagues. Manoah had only garnered a single strikeout in those first two starts (while walking three batters). The good news is that in his following two appearances, Manoah has struck out seven batters in 6.1 innings pitched. The bad news is that he has issued seven walks as well as 11 hits, and nine earned runs during that same span.

Manoah has completely fallen apart as of late, and his standing in the Angels' organization surely has taken a hit. The three aforementioned starters are the only sure things in the rotation, as the race is wide open, especially with players like Sam Aldegheri performing so well in the World Baseball Classic.

Despite some promising signs, Manoah was far from a sure thing when the Angels signed him. They have already invested in him financially, but if the team is trying to convince the fans that they want to win, giving starts to Manoah would be a clear message of the opposite.

Unless he truly turns back the clock in his final spring training appearances, Manoah is very much a minor league pitcher at the moment. He has options left on his contract, and the Angels must utilize them to keep Manoah as pitching depth rather than one of their five top starting pitchers to begin 2026.