Manoah changes it up to dominate Yankees

NEW YORK -- At a glance, nothing about Alek Manoah screams “finesse.”

He’s taller than you, broader than you and stronger than you, bouncing off the mound after strikeouts while he pounds his chest and slaps his glove. He’s built to rip off fastballs and sliders, which is what he spent most of his breakout 2021 season doing, but Monday night’s 3-0 win over the Yankees showed Manoah’s softer side.

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“He just keeps improving,” said manager Charlie Montoyo. “That’s a tough lineup and he was in charge the whole game. Then he lost it a little bit, lost his command, but he doesn’t panic. That’s why he got the job done, because he never panics. You don’t teach that. He has it.”

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Manoah’s six shutout innings had the usual peaks and valleys, including a stretch of four walks in six batters, but the 24-year-old flashed a changeup that could unlock an entirely different tier of his potential. It was on full display against Anthony Rizzo, the second batter he faced.

Pitch 1: 95.4 mph fastball, outside (foul, 0-1)
This was classic Manoah, hammering away with his fastball. His heater eventually came back to earth, closer to his 93.7-mph average from ‘21, but Manoah was pumping 95-plus in the early innings. This forced Rizzo to extend to cover the outside edge of the plate in the middle of the zone, fouling it off without much of a threat. Advantage, Manoah.

Pitch 2: 87.2 mph changeup, low and inside (called strike, 0-2)
Here’s the first changeup, which Rizzo didn’t even offer at. Manoah pivoted off the outside fastball and moved back inside here, changing speed and location. This ball crossed the plate touching the bottom edge of the zone, too, making it a safe pitch in the zone. The pitch itself hasn’t been overhauled, but Manoah’s approach to using it has.

“I’m learning when to mix it in, how to mix it in,” Manoah said. “I feel like in college, I didn’t really need it. In the Minor Leagues, I didn’t really need it. Last year, I didn’t really need it a ton, but being able to mix that in and keep hitters off balance will be huge.”

Pitch 3: 95.7 mph fastball, high and tailing away (ball, 1-2)
Back to the fastball, Manoah ramped up the velocity for one of his hardest pitches of the night. This fastball was a clear ball and didn’t force much of a swing decision from Rizzo as it tailed high and away, but once again, Manoah changed both the speed and Rizzo’s eye level. At 1-2, the advantage is still all his.

Pitch 4: 87.7 mph changeup, low and outside (swinging strikeout)
The beauty of this changeup is that it was set up by both fastballs in the at-bat. Going low and inside after the third-pitch fastball changed Rizzo’s eye level again, but this was also in a similar location to the first pitch. Rizzo’s bat path went exactly where it did for that first-pitch fastball, but the changeup ducked underneath for strike three.

“It’s come a long way,” Manoah said. “I’ve been telling you guys, man, the confidence is there and the movement is there. I feel really good throwing it. I’m going to go ahead and keep mixing that in.”

The payoff
To put it simply, Manoah threw like a reliever in 2021. That’s not a negative, but a matter of style as he leaned almost entirely on his fastball and slider, turning to the changeup just 9.4% of the time. Robbie Ray won a Cy Young Award as a two-pitch guy, but he’s the outlier, not the norm.

Manoah has never been shy about leaning on his teammates, though, taking equal inspiration from pitchers who are similar to him and those who are his polar opposite. When it comes to the changeup, Manoah’s had his eyes locked on a splitter that’s one of the best pitches in baseball

“I think my changeup gets better just watching [Kevin] Gausman throw his,” Manoah said. “We’ve talked about little things here and there, but the way he attacks it and the mentality he has behind it is something that’s helped me a lot.”

On Monday, Manoah threw his changeup for 17% of his pitches, roughly doubling his usage. If that sticks, it’s a pitch that opposing hitters need to respect in every at-bat, not just an afterthought. This all leads to longevity.

Plenty of young pitchers can succeed for a season or two on talent alone, but there needs to be some depth and diversity to that talent if they hope to extend their success for a decade-plus in the big leagues. Few do that, but having a legitimate third pitch that not only works by itself, but improves your two main offerings, is a fine place to start.