Athletics left-hander Sean Manaea may require just one more simulated game before he can begin a minor-league rehab assignment, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
After undergoing shoulder surgery last September, Manaea was expected to miss the entirety of the 2019 season. However, Manaea is operating well ahead of schedule, and looks on track to return to the Athletics’ rotation this season. Slusser reported in March that Manaea was aiming to return around the All-Star Break in July, and it now appears that the left-hander is progressing well towards that goal, though there is not yet a precise timeline for Manaea to rejoin the A’s.
Slusser notes that A.J. Puk and Jesus Luzardo, who recently began their own rehab assignments, are likely to return before Manaea, perhaps in early July. Though Puk and Luzardo have each yet to debut in the Major Leagues, both southpaws are widely regarded as MLB-ready prospects who would be pitching in Oakland were it not for untimely injuries.
The addition of Puk, Luzardo, and Manaea would represent a considerable boon to an Athletics club that has essentially treaded water this season. After earning a Wild Card berth last year, the 36-36 Athletics have only managed to hover around .500, remaining on the periphery of the playoff race, but mostly looking like a longshot to rejoin the October fray. Welcoming the aforementioned trio of promising lefties would only help those odds, it would seem, considering the inconsistent starting pitching that has troubled Bob Melvin’s club all season.
Manaea emerged last season as the Athletics’ best starter, pitching 160 2/3 innings for the A’s, ultimately working to a 3.59 ERA. Her peripheral numbers were slightly less impressive, but nonetheless painted Manaea as a valuable left-hander for a playoff club that wanted for starting options. He could slot into a 2019 rotation that has enjoyed a breakout season from Frankie Montas, as well as adequate showings from Chris Bassitt and Brett Anderson. If the three young left-handers can return quickly and make good on their potential, they could fuel a second-half surge in Oakland.
Wrong pronoun for Manaea in the last paragraph
Definitely strange. Lol
I don’t really know how you screw that one up lol in baseball you’re always writing about a guy
Watch out, MLB Trade Rumors Grammar Police will issue you a citation for calling a possessive adjective a pronoun!
Somewhere Rudolph Hess is very happy about this thread.
Starting pitching has been decent all year. The bullpen has been a dumpster fire.
The A’s have been pretty forward with the idea of Puk in the pen. Additionally Cotton, Jefferies and Kaprielian could also come out of the pen this year if need be, and we wait until next year to rebuild our bullpen.
I love the A’s quite simply because every baseball writer portrays them as the red-headed stepchild of the MLB. This article proves my point.
Luzardo is on a plane, promoted to the Aviators, should be in the A’s rotation within the month.
Puk probably won’t need more than another start or two in Single A before they promote him. Probably want him closer to the org so they can keep an eye on him.
Jefferies could potentially move up with another good start in Double A, even though he got roughed up in his last start. Still, hard to ignore the peripherals. 27 strikeouts to 2 walks, which is ridiculous. Kaprielian could take his spot in Double A, or move straight up to Triple A if they feel comfortable with his health. Looks like his velo is coming back and his command is getting there. Was very effective his last few starts, getting both swings and misses and weak contact.