AL WILD CARD SERIES: MARINERS VS BLUE JAYS

October 8, 2022

Alek Manoah

Rogers Centre

Toronto Blue Jays

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Alek, two years ago you were in that kind of weird COVID training camp. This year you are an All-Star and now a Game 1 starter. What is it about your game that's allowed you to make such a quick transition to becoming a No. 1 starter and the workload that goes along with it?

ALEK MANOAH: I think just being able to have some good off seasons, being able to get some good work in, and just understanding what works best for me.

We have a great staff here as well. The entire organization, everything that we were able to accomplish during COVID while everything was kind of shut down and really being able to take some big steps has allowed me to be able to do well this year and to shine some of the light on some of the hard work we did when there was no baseball.

Q. This kind of seems like the type of environment you would thrive in. How long have you been waiting for a moment like this in the postseason, and what have you been doing over the last couple of days to get yourself ready?

ALEK MANOAH: I think this is what it's all about right here, right? You train all offseason. You train all year. You go through the ups and the downs. This is what it's all for, the bright lights, postseason baseball, you know? This is what you dream of as a kid.

For me I just am going to go out there and have some fun and play some baseball. I love playing with these guys. We've got a great team, and we enjoy playing with each other, and that's all we've got to do. Just go and play some baseball.

Q. Alek, you're an energy guy. You were just talking about it a little bit. Obviously, the energy in the building will be off the charts tomorrow. Have you thought about where you need to be energy-wise? Will you have to bring it down? Are you worried about getting too pumped up because you'll be so excited about what's going on tomorrow?

ALEK MANOAH: I think for me personally I kind of just let the emotions go, let them take its toll, let the adrenaline run, and I truly feel like that's when I'm at my best.

We have a good game plan, good mental routine to be able to control all that, and yeah, we'll just let them run and go have some fun.

Q. Alek, what is it about the bright lights that you like so much and that you thrive on?

ALEK MANOAH: I don't know. I just feel like it's another game. You don't have to put too much into it. This is what we work for. We've been doing it our whole life.

I know how to play baseball more than I know how to do anything in this world, so kind of just have to go keep doing it.

Q. You've had plenty of learning experiences in your career, but you talked extensively about what you learned at the All-Star Game, and I know you talked to Justin Verlander a lot. Did you talk to him much about what the playoffs are like in Major League Baseball?

ALEK MANOAH: Not really. I don't know if he'll give me the right advice. I know we'll probably be seeing him in the next round. (Laughing.)

He has been doing it for a while. Yeah, we didn't talk postseason baseball, but he definitely did give me some good tips on some other things.

Q. Can you think back of watching some great postseason starts from your childhood, and can you share some memories of maybe a starter that you really enjoyed watching, a game that really stuck with you?

ALEK MANOAH: Yeah. I think the one I can remember the most was Mad Max and Stephen Strasburg kind of carrying that Washington Nationals team to a World Series.

It didn't matter the day of the week. They were either in the bullpen, or they were on the mound. Rest didn't matter. It was about going out there and giving your team everything you have and worrying about the aches and the pains in the offseason.

For me I truly believe that we've got some special guys on the staff. Whoever's turn it is, they're going to grab the ball and go give it all they got. I look forward to doing the same thing with them.

Q. Have you spoken to anyone from the Jays who played in the 2015-2016 teams, and what was their message to you about playing in front of a crowd like this?

ALEK MANOAH: I haven't really spoken to anybody from those teams. I was on a Gibby podcast a couple of weeks ago, so I would say he was the only one.

He just told me kind of the same thing. Just go out there, have some fun, go do your thing, go do what you've been doing all year. There's just going to be a couple of more people there watching. Just have to go do that.

Q. What is it about Alejandro Kirk's game-calling, his receiving that you feel works so well for what you are trying to do on the mound?

ALEK MANOAH: I just think the game plans that we're able to set together. You know, the energy. We both feed off each other pretty well.

We just have a good rhythm going. He understands what I'm trying to do to hitters, my game plan, how I'm trying to attack them. He goes out there, and he is not scared to call his game.

Sometimes the finger he puts down is better than what I was even thinking. We feed off each other. We feed some pretty good energy to each other. I feel like we've got something good going right now.

Q. You obviously had an innings high this year. What did you do about your routine throughout the year to be able to save some in the tank for October because I think you were always looking forward to that as well?

ALEK MANOAH: I don't think -- I'm not the kind of guy that tries to save anything in the tank. Yeah, just go out there and give it my all every game. Understanding that we're going to be in the postseason, you make adjustments on bullpens and maybe cutting back on a long toss day or really making sure you're recovering and nutritionally and everything. Just being what you need to do to be good.

When that fifth day comes, you give it your all. You really don't try and save anything. Yeah, I just think a lot of the work we've done in the offseason leading up to spring training and leading up to the season and then some midseason adjustments as we're going, I think have been able to get me to this moment strong.

Q. Have you ever felt pressure on the baseball field?

ALEK MANOAH: To be honest with you, my high school coach used to say, pressure is something you put in your tires. This is just baseball. This is just a game. Just have to go out there and have some fun and leave the pressure for your tires.

Q. How do you let out the pressure or then channel the excitement?

ALEK MANOAH: Yeah, there's definitely a lot of excitement. We have a whole country rooting for us. Two years without any baseball in this country, and now they get to -- not only them, but us as well -- experience playoff baseball back at home.

There's definitely going to be a lot of excitement. It's going to be an amazing atmosphere. I think just continue to keep up that mental routine that I have of breathing, continuing to stay in prayer and stay in faith and continue to trust that what I've done all year has been able to get us to this moment, and it will be good enough to keep going. That's really all we've got to do.

Q. Alek, further to Rob's question, if Verlander didn't talk to you about the playoffs, how much are you and the guys in the clubhouse leaning on people like George and Jackie and Strip, who have been in the playoffs a half dozen times?

ALEK MANOAH: That's huge. George is -- I think he made a comment today. He has played in over 100 playoff games. Having that experience and understanding, the preparation, the routine and the moment, being able to pass that along with everybody. Jackie, you know, is a World Series champ.

Just being able to learn from those guys and understand that it's just baseball. You just have to go out there and have some fun, let your emotions go crazy, let your adrenaline run. Tunnel it like you've tunnelled it all year, and just go out there and have some fun with the boys.

Q. To your point about Scherzer and Strasburg, if Game 3 is getting into the 14th inning, how all over Pete and Schneider are you going to be to let you get in there and pitch?

ALEK MANOAH: That will be their decision, but for me I'm going to go out there and give it all I've got in Game 1. We hope there is no Game 3.

Q. When you made your Major League debut last year, you had a huge contingent of family and friends and your mom basically took over the broadcast. I remember watching that game. Is she going to be in the house tomorrow, and what sort of group do you have coming to watch your postseason home debut?

ALEK MANOAH: Yeah, I'm probably going to be playing for free the whole next month. (Laughing.) Got about 25 tickets for tomorrow. The whole family is in town. That's my support group. They're the reason I am where I am today. Wouldn't want to do it without them by my side.

Q. Further to that, even though you're now in the Major Leagues, do you feel the presence of your mom when you're pitching knowing she's in the stands?

ALEK MANOAH: Yeah. I think we spoke this morning on FaceTime. We talk about all the travel ball days growing up, waking up at 8:00 a.m. to drive to Broward to go play in a tournament, play three games. Maybe eat a sandwich or peanut butter on the way between games. Getting home at 2:00 a.m., and she's at work the next morning at 8:00 a.m.

Talking to my dad about it as well. Just all the sacrifice that we've gone to get to this moment. Not just me, just every kid trying to achieve the Big League dream, and tournament to tournament to lesson to getting cut from a team to going from JV to Varsity. All that stuff, you know?

I think it's kind of pretty fun to look back and see that journey. Wow, we're here in a postseason game now.

Q. You've read that you've become enamored with watching Encarnacion's walk-off in 2016. Can you explain why?

ALEK MANOAH: I think it was the, what, five-year anniversary or six-year anniversary of the walk-off? That video came up on my Twitter feed.

Man, I couldn't believe the energy and the atmosphere, and the building was shaking, man. Kind of been using that to kind of feel some of that energy that's going to be there tomorrow.

Q. When you look at the Mariners lineup, what type of lineup is this? What challenges do they present, and how do you prepare for that?

ALEK MANOAH: I think they're a pretty good lineup. They're pretty balanced from top to bottom. They have good power, good speed. They're aggressive.

For me, just got to go out there and pitch my game. Just attack them in the zone. Read the swings they're making, see what's working, and just go and try to give the team the best chance I can.

Q. When you look at your own team, bigger picture, why do you think this group is special? What makes this team a contender?

ALEK MANOAH: I just think if you look at all year, there's no specific moment that you can look at this year where you can say: Wow, the Blue Jays were hot. Wow, the Blue Jays are the best in baseball right now.

I don't think we went on a winning streak over ten games at any point in the year. We've had a lot of ups and downs. We got a new manager. A lot of that stuff, and this team hasn't budged. This team hasn't felt that pressure.

This team has continued to come in day in and day out and work as hard as they can, do everything they can, be a brother for one another, and just continue to do what we can do and control what we can control.

I truly believe that our team has been through a ton of stuff and hasn't played their best baseball, but has still won 92 games. I think it's pretty amazing to see that, to be a part of that, and I think right now we're playing our best baseball. It's perfect timing.

Q. You exude confidence, but have you even exceeded your expectations so early in your career?

ALEK MANOAH: I think a little bit. I feel like every week something gets better. I feel like that's kind of the mindset. I've done a lot of things this year I've never done before.

So I've never pitched in a postseason game either. I've done pretty good in some other games that I've never pitched in before either, so just kind of got to keep that mindset and understand that I can only control what I can control, and I can only do the best that I can do.

Everything outside of that is not in my control, and just continue to go out there and do everything I can to help this team win a game and scratch and claw until the end.