The Mets need starting pitching, but not just for this year. With the lack upper level depth and three of our starting pitchers in their final year, the Mets need pitchers for more than a season. With deGrom and Peterson as the only certain bets to make the rotation after next season, the Mets need more. 3 starters on the open market would be very costly, so let’s find a guy with promise and control. In comes Athletics lefty Sean Manaea.

You might know Manaea from a famous game on the 21st of April, 2018 when he no-hit the Boston Red Sox. Yes, the team that went on and win the world series that season. It was part of his best year of his career, were he went 12-9 with a 3.59 ERA over 29 starts. His season was cut short due to shoulder surgery, which was the reason he made just 5 starts in 2019.

In 2020 he made 11 starts in the shortened season. Main plus, he was healthy and pitching solid. Although his numbers won’t wow anybody, a 4.50 ERA and 3.71 FIP isn’t terrible.

Overall Manaea has been a solid starter in his career. The former first round pick has pitched to a 3.85 ERA and 4.07 FIP over his 5 year major league career. He isn’t a strikeout guy and relied on his sinker heavily in 2020. It shows he is making an adjustment to get more ground balls. He ditched his 4 seamer in 2020, most likely because lost some of his velocity.

I still think Manaea is a solid mid rotation arm. With a full season, building up some strength, Manaea might be able to get some velo back. If not, he knows how to get hitters out with his sinker. Important note, as with Stroman and Peterson, the Mets need good infield defense. Which they most likely would want to improve anyways. Manaea does allow hard contact, which is worrisome. However, he has allowed hard contact for years and held his own. Also worth mentioning he did that with Chapman and Olson behind him. Hence the need to have good infield D behind him.

Important to mention is what it will cost to get Manaea. According to Baseballtradevalues, it wouldn’t break the bank prospect wise. Plus you get a starter with 2 years of control left. Important with the lack of starters we have under controlled going forward. Manaea is projected to make 5m in arbitration this year, which is pennies considering moves on the open market.

This is a way the trade could go, but I can also see more smaller prospects in a package deal. Like the one below.

Not sure if the A’s make any of this proposed deals, but it are two I would consider being the Mets. Manaea has been a solid major leaguer that would have a spot in the majors for the next 2 seasons. It won’t cost that much and keeps the better prospects in the organization. Yes, there are some concerns in Manaea his game, mainly his hard hit rate. But isn’t that the case with every pitcher? Getting Bauer would break the bank money wise, this won’t break us in a lot of ways IMO.

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