Mets Projected $68 Million Superstar Is 'Good Fit' For Red Sox, Insider Says

Could this lefty become Boston's secret weapon?

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

At this point, there's no telling which direction the Boston Red Sox will take their search for starting pitching.

The rhetoric from Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow and the front office seems to be that the Red Sox will pursue an "ace," but aces come in all shapes and sizes. And although Boston may increase its spending this winter, the prices for the top few pitchers on the market could be too exorbitant for Breslow's taste.

If the Red Sox are hoping to keep the spending to a certain dollar amount--say, under $100 million per individual, quality options should still be available. One such pitcher looked like an ace during the second half of the 2024 season and should cost well under nine figures.

Insider Jen McCaffrey discussed realistic starting pitching targets for the Red Sox on Friday, and a name she focused on was Sean Manaea of the New York Mets. Manaea broke out after the All-Star break after changing his delivery to mimic former Red Sox ace Chris Sale.

"Another starter who I’ve long thought could be a good fit in Boston... is Sean Manaea. He’s 32, so a bit older than the (other free-agent pitchers), but is a lefty and coming off a strong season with the Mets," McCaffrey said.

"(Insider Jim) Bowden projects the same deal as (Jack) Flaherty at three years, $68 million, but Manaea is expected to get a qualifying offer from the Mets. He posted a 3.47 ERA in 29 starts with a 24.9 percent strikeout rate this season and he also pitched for Andrew Bailey in San Francisco in 2023."

Manaea's overall season numbers were very good, but they took a dramatic uptick after the All-Star break in everything but ERA. His WHIP dropped from 1.22 to 0.94, his opponents' OPS dropped from .639 to .593, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio rose from 2.40 to 3.83.

If Manaea can prove he's the pitcher he was in the second half of 2024 for the duration of the next three seasons, he'll be well worth the contract. But he's also had some down years this decade already, so bringing in the lefty doesn't come without risks.

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