Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Alek Manoah Finds His Command, Anthony Santander Is Back, Alex Amalfi And Gage Stanifer Tried To Carry New Hampshire

[Daniel Labude]

CURRENT W-L Records
-Buffalo Bisons: 58-80
-New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 54-81
-Vancouver Canadians: 75-57 (Season Complete)
-Dunedin Blue Jays: 60-66 (Season Complete)
-FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete 
-DSL Blue Jays Blue: Season Complete
-DSL Blue Jays Red: Season Complete

Transactions
09/12/25 - Buffalo Bisons released RHP Luis Quinones.
09/12/25 - Buffalo Bisons activated SS Leo Jiménez from the 7-day injured list.
09/12/25 - Buffalo Bisons placed RHP Elieser Hernández on the temporarily inactive list.
09/12/25 - Dunedin Blue Jays released RHP Eliander Alcalde.
09/11/25 - Toronto Blue Jays sent RF Anthony Santander on a rehab assignment to Buffalo Bisons.
09/11/25 - Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP Alek Manoah to Buffalo Bisons.
09/11/25 - 2B J.R. Freethy assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.

Buffalo Bisons

Buffalo (8), Rochester (9) - 9/11
Box Score

Buffalo and Rochester went back and forth all night on Thursday in a tough close matchup. Buffalo would take the early lead on a three-run home run in the top of the second inning by Michael Stefanic. In the bottom half of the inning, Rochester would answer with two RBI singles to bring the lead down to one for Buffalo. The next inning though, Rochester would tie it up with an RBI groundout. Anthony Santander in his first rehab game squared up a pitch over the plate for a home run to right field, putting Buffalo up one in the fifth inning. Again in the bottom of the inning, the Red Wings would strike with two more runs, this time from an RBI triple by J.T. Arruda and an RBI single from Nick Schnell. René Pinto tied the game in the seventh on a fielder's choice and then gave Buffalo the lead in the ninth on an RBI single. Jonatan Clase would score Stefanic with a single to give the Bisons a two-run lead. Just like the whole game though, Rochester wasn't done and went right to work in the bottom of the ninth. Two singles led off the inning and after two outs, José Tena came to bat. He launched a ball deepening the night over the center field fence for a walk-off three run home run. Buffalo lost a heartbreaker 9-8.

Michael Stefanic- 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Adam Macko- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

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Buffalo (4), Rochester (3) - 9/12
Box Score

The Friday night matchup between Buffalo and Rochester was another close battle, but this time it was hits that were tough to come by. Alek Manoah started for Buffalo and had maybe his best game this season. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, only gave up three runs, four hits, and struck out eight batters. His command was at its best it has been in Triple-A and he only walked one hitter. It was still a little concerning that his fastball velocity was struggling to get to 90 mph at times. Overall though, it was a great outing for him. A Francisco Mejía home run to right field in the third inning was the first run of the game for Rochester. Leo Jiménez's sacrifice fly a half inning later tied the game for Buffalo. A groundout in the sixth would score two more for Rochester, aided by a throwing error. In the seventh, Buffalo took the lead back when Michael Stefanic hit an RBI single and Jonatan Clase drove in two with a double. Buffalo won this game 4-3.

Jonatan Clase- 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, 1 SB

Alek Manoah- 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

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New Hampshire Fisher Cats

New Hampshire (6), Chesapeake (4) - 9/11
Box Score

With another game against Chesapeake on Thursday, New Hampshire looked to start an extended winning streak to counterbalance the long losing streak they just came out of. They had the next high rising prospect, Gage Stanifer, on the mound. Chesapeake sent a formidable Luis De León to match up against Stanifer. The Baysox jumped out to an early lead, with a lead-off home run from Austin Overn. Stanifer started to get shaky with his command from there, walking three of the next four batters, but getting a double play ball in between them. Unfortunately for New Hampshire, Stanifer could not escape the jam without giving up another run, he gave up an RBI single to Max Wagner. In the bottom half of the first, Charles McAdoo tried hard to get at least one run back, he led-off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third, then scored on Damiano Palmegiani's double. Cade Doughty and Eddinson Paulino couldn't cash in Palmegiani and the first inning ended with New Hampshire down one run. Stanifer settled in during the second inning, getting three ground ball outs,then a couple more in the third. In the fourth, he added two more ground balls for outs, before being replaced to begin the fifth inning. Chesapeake would add to their lead then with a sacrifice fly by Ethan Anderson, scoring Overn. Jace Bohrofen got that run back in the bottom of the fifth with a base knock to right field, scoring Nicolas Deschamps. New Hampshire finally locked in for the bottom of the seventh, Je'Von Ward had a two-RBI single, Paulino scratched one run across home plate with his single, and Cade Doughty scored on a balk. Kai Peterson came on for the ninth to close the game out and secure the win, but he got into some trouble. He surrendered a sacrifice fly to Anderson, then hit the next batter, before turning it over to Nate Garkow to get out of a sticky situation. Garkow stepped up and closed it out, getting Griff O'Ferrall to strike out to end the game. New Hampshire won their third game in a row, this one 6-4. 

Charles McAdoo: 2-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, 2 SB

Gage Stanifer: 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 4 K

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New Hampshire (5), Chesapeake (2) - 9/12
Box Score

Riding a three game win streak, New Hampshire had Alex Amalfi on the mound Friday night and was looking to extend the streak even more. The Fisher Cats jumped out early in this one, getting two runs in the first inning thanks to an error on the catcher, allowing both Damiano Palmegiani and Je'Von Ward to score on a dropped third strike. Cade Doughty then followed it up with a two-run home run and New Hampshire had a comfortable 4-0 lead. Amalfi took over from there, he went six innings, only allowing an RBI single in the fifth, and struck out four. The bullpen would take over and only surrendered one unearned run, while New Hampshire got an RBI single from Peyton Williams in the eighth. The Fisher Cats rolled to a 5-2 win and moved their win streak to four. 

Cade Doughty: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K, 1 HR

Alex Amalfi: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Day
Pitcher of the Period: RHP Alek Manoah (Buffalo) - Alek Manoah- 5.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Hitter of the Period: 2B Michael Stefanic (Buffalo) 4-8, 3 R, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days)

Will Return Next Time

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