The Toronto Blue Jays have been dealt a potential blow with the news that top pitching prospect Alek Manoah could be facing an extended absence due to injury. With Manoah being a key piece of the Blue Jays rotation, the team will need to come up with a plan to fill his spot in the rotation and ensure that they can continue to compete at a high level.

One strategy that the Blue Jays could employ is to look within their own organization for potential replacements. The team has a number of promising young pitchers in their minor league system who could be called up to fill Manoah’s spot in the rotation. Players like Nate Pearson, Thomas Hatch, and Anthony Kay could all be options to step in and provide quality innings for the Blue Jays.

Another option for the Blue Jays could be to explore the trade market for pitching help. With the trade deadline approaching, there could be a number of teams looking to sell off pitching assets, and the Blue Jays could look to make a move to bolster their rotation in Manoah’s absence. Players like Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, or Jon Gray could all be potential targets for the Blue Jays.

Finally, the Blue Jays could also consider using a combination of their internal options and potential trade acquisitions to fill Manoah’s spot in the rotation. By mixing and matching different pitchers, the team could potentially mitigate the impact of Manoah’s absence and keep their rotation competitive.

Overall, while losing Alek Manoah would be a significant blow to the Blue Jays rotation, there are a number of strategies that the team could employ to fill his spot and continue to compete at a high level. Whether it’s turning to their own minor league system, making a trade, or using a combination of both, the Blue Jays have options to ensure that they can weather the storm of a potential Manoah absence.