MLB Rumors: Oakland Athletics Could Have Sean Manaea By Midseason

The Oakland Athletics got a bit of good news recently, revealing that starting pitcher Sean Manaea could be playing in the 2019 MLB season after all. Initially forecasted to be out the entire season, it seems that surgery went well and the 26-year-old could be back by mid-season.

Manaea underwent arthroscopic surgery to address his pitching shoulder back in September, something that ended the best season of his career yet. He went 12-9 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 27 starts, even tossing a no-hitter against the future World Series champion Boston Red Sox, NBC Sports reported.

“We need starters, but with guys like Sean, we’ve got a process of rehab that we’ve got to follow through,” Athletics president of baseball operations Billy Beane told The Examiner. “Optimistically, and I think we should be optimistic because it sounds like the surgery went well, we’re hoping there’s a chance Sean will be there at the All-Star break.”

This bit should be welcome news for the A’s who are placing emphasis on their starting pitching. This is perhaps one of the reasons why the Athetlics re-signed Mike Fiers, a late-season acquisition who went 5-2 that helped the team reach a postseason berth, its first in four years. However, it remains that even with the return of Manaea, there is no guarantee that he will be at full strength. Hence, there is a need to cover other bases.

There are other starters who could make their return midway next season. This includes Jharel Cotton and A.J. Puk. It will be interesting to see if any of these starters could end up being a factor once they do return. The projected starting rotation includes Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, Chris Bassitt and Jesús Luzardo.

Looking ahead, Beane said that there could be additional signings, emphasis on starting pitchers, later in the offseason since this all depends on the A’s financial situation.

“This could change. In trades, we’re aggressive, but when it comes to free agents, in most cases, we have to be opportunistic and be patient. We’ll wait it out and see who are the best options. In some cases, there are going to be guys who find this place an attractive place to pitch, it’s a good, young team and it’s a good park to pitch in,” he said.

Right now, the Athletics only have about six to seven healthy starters. The Athletics could raise that number a bit, which is a must since they do have players falling to the injury bug. Some may be taken in short-term, buying the team’s starters some time to ensure they fare well next season.