3 trade destinations for the starting pitchers the Mets are reportedly willing to deal

3) Cleveland Guardians

Not much in the United States is north of Minnesota. In the American League Central, Minnesota does have to look upward to find the Cleveland Guardians. Despite being without Shane Bieber for the season, the Guardians are once again playoff contenders and a team that seems to defy the preseason expectations many have.

Starting pitching, however, isn’t a major strength of this ball club. Ben Lively has posted the best numbers for them as the club relies on an elite bullpen centered on closer Emmanuel Clase to win games.

The staff still includes Carlos Carrasco who looked finished with the Mets last year and, quite frankly, hasn’t been much better this year with a 5.40 ERA. Any of the three Mets starting pitcher trade candidates would improve the Guardians’ rotation over him. Considering the team they are and the financial constraints, it would require the Mets to eat a portion of the salary.

Of the three pitchers the Mets could move, this might be the destination for Manaea. The big complaint about him is the inability to last long. Well, that isn’t as major of an issue in Cleveland where the bullpen carries the load. For them and any other team with interest in Manaea, the player option for next year could help or hurt his case. The $13.5 million for next season would be a bargain compared to many of his peers. The Guardians tend to prefer cheaper alternatives. Their only active player making more than $7 million is Jose Ramirez. 

A little creativity might be the only way to get a deal done with them. Get Myles Straw and his $13+ million owed involved to off-set some money and a trade could get hammered out with some patience.