Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah stood up against a body-shaming troll on Twitter, proving he’s not only a talented athlete, but also one with good morals.
Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah stood up against a body-shaming troll on Twitter, and he didn’t hold back on any thoughts.
Manoah wrote in two Tweets, “What’s actually embarrassing for the sport is people that go by the name of Matthew and have never played a day in the big leagues thinking they can control the narrative and stereotypes. Go ahead and tell that 8 year old kid who is 10lbs over weight that he should quit now. Or just step aside from the keyboard and let KIRK inspire those kids to continue to chase their dreams and chase greatness.”
Manoah is a talented player who is fairly interactive with fans on social media, so it’s not surprising that he made a point to speak up.
Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah is respectable on the field too
Manoah was a talented player in high school, but he didn’t garner the attention of MLB scouts. He signed with West Virginia University to further his baseball career with NCAA.
With WVU, he made a big impact immediately during his freshman year, producing an ERA of 3.07 and WHIP of 1.37. He got a well-deserved spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman team and played at the collegiate level through 2019. During his time in college, he played for the Cape Cod summer league and was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.
In 2019, he was drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round as the 11th-overall pick. He made his major league debut in 2021 and hasn’t disappointed since.
The AL Cy Young candidate is an example of what he preaches — what you see isn’t always what you get. Manoah is an elite pitcher despite not necessarily looking the part, and will continue to provide a positive example to kids like him all over the country.
Well done, Alek.