Alek Manoah steals show on mic at All-Star Game: ‘Three punchies!’

Blue Jays pitcher Alek Manoah made sure everyone heard how much fun he was having at the All-Star Game.

Manoah being mic’d up by Fox while on the Dodger Stadium mound on Tuesday led to plenty of good sound bites. It was a revealing and entertaining viewing experience to see the humorous and personality-filled pitcher for the American League talking while on the hill, sometimes even in the middle of a pitch.

After asking the booth how fast he was pitching, Manoah quipped that he “thought the adrenaline would give him a couple more [MPH].”

As the inning went along, Manoah began to get loose, ratcheting up to about 95 mph on his fastball. 

“Here we go, that’s one!” Manoah yelled after striking out the first batter, William Contreras of the Atlanta Braves. 

“Here we go, that’s two!” Manoah repeated after striking out the Giants’ Joc Pederson. 

Manoah also asked Fox broadcaster John Smoltz what to throw at one point. After Manoah told the batter, the Mets’ Jeff McNeil “don’t flinch” on a running fastball inside, Smoltz suggested a back foot -slider, which Manoah pulled short, hitting McNeil on the front foot.

“Right down the middle, but we’ll take it! Three punchies! Whoo! That’s a hell of a bullpen right there,” Manoah exclaimed while jogging to the dugout after striking out Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. for the third out.