Alek Manoah to undergo season-ending elbow surgery, Cavan Biggio DFAed

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The Blue Jays made news for all the wrong reasons in the hours leading up to Friday night’s first pitch in the series opener against the Oakland A’s.

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The biggest, by far, involved the team’s big right-hander, Alek Manoah, whose season is effectively over just as it appeared he was on the cusp of regaining of his past form.

The sombre news was announced by manager John Schneider at Oakland Coliseum.

According to Schneider, Manoah will undergo UCL surgery on June 17.

What’s unknown, at least for now, is the precise procedure Manoah will experience, ranging from Tommy John surgery or having his injured right elbow repaired via an internal brace procedure.

As bad as last season was for the former Cy Young Award finalist, this stunning turn of events is a crushing blow for Manoah.

A year ago, he went to the depths of the lowest level of the minors in an attempt to regain his form and reshape his body.

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This season began with Manoah experiencing shoulder inflammation during spring training, which led to a rehab assignment at the triple-A level.

Manoah is a big personality who casts a large presence in the clubhouse.

In Cavan Biggio, the Jays were forced to DFA the utility player to make room for the call-up of Spencer Horwitz, who was active for Friday night’s game, the first of three against the A’s in what is shaping up as Toronto’s final visit to Oakland.

Fans of Biggio may have been shocked to hear the news, but the reality remains he’s a bit player whose expectations were grossly inflated when he was grouped in the same class with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Biggio has the baseball IQ, pedigree, versatility, but if anyone can pinpoint to a skill set that separates him from his peers, they would be stretching the truth.

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On a team deep with talent with legitimate post-season aspirations, Biggio would fit in nicely.

The Jays are not deep in talent and are far being playoff-legitimate.

Still, many are left wondering why such a move was made, especially when detailing his versatility.

In contrast, Daniel Vogelbach is strictly a designated hitter whose name appears in the lineup when the Jays are facing right-handing pitching.

Ernie Clement is Biggio-like, but it’s obvious the Jays prefer Clement.

Following two blowout losses to the visiting Baltimore Orioles, the Jays regrouped in earning a split of their four-game series.

Spirits were predictably high as they boarded their charter for the Bay Area.

The Manaoh news always remained a possibility after he left an outing in Chicago against the White Sox with one out in the second inning.

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An MRI revealed an elbow sprain.

The decision to seek a second opinion was then reached as an in-person visit with renowned orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister was arranged, team doctor for the Texas Rangers.

While some will be shocked at Biggio being DFAed, they shouldn’t be.

The big shockwaves to be felt involves Manoah, whose fall from such elite heights will now see the personable big man going under the knife to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow.

Life will go on knowing Horwitz is at least capable of providing some thump as witnessed by his exploits in triple-A.

During his pre-game media availability in Oakland, Schneider was asked about Horwitz.

According to the skipper, Horwitz will be given playing time, whether it’s at second base or first with the odd assignment at DH.

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In losing Manoah, Toronto’s pitching depth gets even thinner.

The team went with an opener against Baltimore when Trevor Richards went two innings followed by Bowden Francis.

No starter has been announced for Sunday’s series finale against the A’s.

Once Yariel Rodriguez is fully healthy and stretched out, he seems like a logical choice to resume pitching in the No. 5 hole he embraced when the season began.

He’s on an innings limit the club has yet to fully detail.

By any standard, the hole left by Manoah is much greater than any criticism some will and have expressed following Biggio’s news.

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The Manoah loss is big, one the Jays may not be able to fully address.

Biggio has deep roots with the Jays, has connections with the club that includes Schneider and his personality and occasional moments of high-end play cannot be dismissed.

At the same time, the Jays needed to address their lineup.

Biggio was given a shot. Perhaps, some will argue, not a fair one.

In his final appearance with the Blue Jays, Biggio scored the winning run in a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Orioles Wednesday night after Toronto had been outscored by a combined 17-3 in the opening two games of the series.

Horwitz deserved a callup and his name has been mentioned quite prominently in the past few days.

fzicarelli@postmedia.com

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