Braves Make Bold Move: Alek Manoah Joins Roster as Ozzie Albies Faces Extended Setback

So here’s a curveball for you: Alek Manoah, once a shining star and serious contender for the AL Cy Young back in 2022, just snagged a new lease on his career with the Atlanta Braves. They scooped him up on Friday, mere days after the Blue Jays designated him for assignment—a move that surely caught some fans off guard. But, hey, that’s baseball for you—unpredictable and unforgiving. On the flip side, the Braves had to shuffle their roster to fit Manoah in, and that meant sending their dependable second baseman, Ozzie Albies, to the 60-day injured list after a painful hand injury halted his season. Manoah’s journey hasn’t been smooth sailing—recovering from elbow surgery and battling back through Triple-A—yet his track record speaks volumes: a phenomenal rookie debut, a blistering 2022 campaign, and now, hopeful eyes set on resurgence. Meanwhile, Albies, who’s been a mainstay this season despite a grueling wrist fracture earlier this year, faces the tough reality of an early exit. Baseball’s a relentless grind, and these roster moves underscore the fragile dance teams conduct between potential and predicament—and I’m here for every twist. LEARN MORE

TORONTO — The Atlanta Braves claimed and optioned pitcher Alek Manoah on Friday, three days after the former All-Star and 2022 AL Cy Young finalist was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Braves transferred second baseman Ozzie Albies to the 60-day injured list. Albies broke a bone in his left hand on Monday in a game against the Washington Nationals, ending his season.

Manoah was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays to make room on Toronto’s 40-man roster for Anthony Santander to come off the 60-day injured list.

Manoah had been pitching at Triple-A Buffalo, rehabbing a 2024 surgery on his elbow. The right-hander went 1-1 with a 2.97 ERA in seven starts for the Bisons.

After going 9-2 as a rookie in 2021, Manoah went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in 2022, finishing third in AL Cy Young voting. Last season, Manoah went 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA over five starts spanning 24 1/3 innings before season-ending surgery.

Albies played in Atlanta’s first 157 games this season, batting .240 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs. He injured the hamate bone on the palm side of the hand near the pinky and ring fingers. Albies fractured his left wrist in July 2024 and missed two months.