Mets Starter Will Be 'Coveted' At Deadline; Could Red Sox Join Sweepstakes?

Could the Red Sox add the veteran starter to fill in for Garrett Whitlock?

May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets logo on the sleeve of J.D. Martinez during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox certainly will be busy over the next few months.

Boston currently is 27-27 on the season but should get even better soon as it gets healthier. The Red Sox should get Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida back in the not-so-distant future to help the offense and other reinforcements also will be working their way back to the field.

Although the Red Sox currently are just a .500 team, they should be better soon and certainly could compete for a playoff spot. Adding around the trade deadline could only help with this.

Boston recently lost starter Garrett Whitlock to an elbow injury and could use another hurler to add more depth. One player who could make a lot of sense is New York Mets starter Sean Manaea. He has been solid so far for the Mets but could be moved and will be "coveted" around the deadline, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

"He's pitching on a one-plus-one contract -- $14.5 million for this year, plus a player option for 2025 -- and the way he has been performing (3.16 ERA over his first 10 starts), the left-hander could benefit from another pass through free agency," Olney said. "Like (Luis Severino), he could be coveted in a thin market of starters."

Manaea has been a stud so far this season for New York and has a 3.16 ERA and 47-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 51 1/3 innings pitched. If Boston can remain in contention for an American League Wild Card spot this summer, a deal for Manaea could make a lot of sense.

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