Nate Pearson wants to be inspired by Alek Manoah

Alek Manoah had an important season in 2021. He made his Major debut after just 35 innings in the minors and responded well. He even received a third place vote in the rookie of the year race.

We will tell ourselves: this role must have belonged to Nate Pearson. It was he who, on paper, was to break into the rotation of the Blue Jays in 2021.

But as we know, the injuries slowed his progress. Anyone who is just recovering from an operation to treat a sports hernia knows this more than ever.

He told Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling about it, saying it changed his mind.

When you throw in fear of hurting yourself, your motion is different.

To launch well, you have to have peace of mind.

– Nate Pearson

And at the end of the season, he was working so as not to get hurt. He knew an operation was imminent and he wanted to succeed in casting without hurting himself too much.

But there, following his operation, he should be healthy at the next Blue Jays camp. His goal? Breaking through the rotation of the Blue Jays… taking inspiration from Alek Manoah.

Because yes, Manoah is a bit like Nate Pearson’s “what I would have become in 2021 without the injuries” version. That’s kind of why he wants to be inspired by it.

But it goes further than that.

Alek is amazing. But what makes him so good is his confidence. The way he behaves on the mound is crazy. I learned a lot from him.

I look at him and I tell myself that this is how I should behave.

– Nate Pearson

But obviously the problem is always the same: to be this bulldog on the mound, Pearson must be healthy. He must feel in control of his shots.

On New Year’s Day, we often wish each other good health. Hopefully, in his case, it will be more true than ever from January 1.

• The Phillies need a closer.