Alek Manoah said check the receipts.
The Blue Jays pitcher fired back at former catcher and first baseman Anthony Recker, who currently serves as an MLB Network analyst, over his comments that Manoah needs to hit the gym more consistently.
Earlier this week, Recker appeared on “MLB Tonight” and shared the pitchers he would not yet start a franchise with. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Manoah, a 2022 AL Cy Young Award finalist, was not on that list.
“I love you Alek, just show me you’re willing to put in a little more time in the gym and that you’re going to be there consistently for a little bit longer,” Recker said, implying that Manoah needs to slim down. “I still love you.”
On Wednesday, Manoah reposted a clip of Recker’s analysis and told him to “check the numbers” after a 2022 season that included an All-Star nod and All-MLB First Team selection.
“Hey @Anthony_Recker my job isn’t to please you,” Manoah fired back. “You are an outsider you don’t know me or my work ethic. What I do in the gym has clearly worked check the numbers, sucks you can’t say the same for yourself.”
Anthony Recker on “MLB Tonight.” Twitter
In a reply tweet, Recker said the video was taken out of context and complimented Manoah’s talent.
“Don’t let someone throw a video out of context at you and get you upset,” Recker wrote. “You’re an incredible talent man and I’d love to see you make the most of that. I hope to see you continue to get better and be great for a long time. I wish I had even a tiny speck of the talent you do.”
Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah during Game One of their AL Wild Card series at Rogers Centre on Oct. 7, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
In a separate tweet, Recker added: “This was never meant to be shade… obviously someone wanted to make it seem that way.”
His explanation didn’t sit well with Manoah, who then challenged Recker to attend his Miami-based gym, Manoah Driven.
“Youre just like everyone else,” Manoah replied. “Love to talk and then wanna say sorry when you get called out. If you wanna see how an All Star, 1st team All-MLB, and CY young finalist trains. Come meet me @ManoahDriven.”
Soon after, Manoah Driven tweeted videos of the former first-round pick working out.
“MLB all-star & workhorse! @Anthony_Recker would love to see you step in the box and show the world why [you’re] a broadcaster now!” the tweet read.
Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah pitches to the Baltimore Orioles at the Rogers Centre on Sept. 18, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
Manoah’s teammate and fellow pitcher Anthony Bass reposted Manoah’s tweet with a GIF of music producer DJ Khaled eating popcorn.
Former Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman also chimed in and called Recker “a clown” whose game “was trash” in a tweet defending Manoah.
“What a clown you are @Anthony_Recker. Poo-poo take from a bum,” Stroman wrote. “A nobody who has accomplished nothing in life. Keep your mouth shut and stop talking down on players. @Alek_Manoah6 is one of the best pitchers in baseball. You talk on TV for a living because your game was trash!”
Recker hit back: “Hey @STR0, I’m not interested in Twitter battles or spreading hate. My words of Alek on tv weren’t indicative of how I feel about him or what I truly was trying to say. I made a mistake. Would love to get in touch with him to personally solve this. No need to make it worse.”
Then Stroman replied: “You’re not interested in spreading hate…yet you’re on MLB Network hating and body shaming one of the best pitchers in baseball. You make zero sense. You’re a clown for that. You can’t grow the game by tearing down its players. Be better or get off TV and go find a hobby.”
In September, Manoah took to Twitter to defend his teammate Alejandro Kirk after Matthew Ross, a Montreal-based radio host, criticized the catcher’s base-running and said it was “embarrassing for the sport.”