The New York Mets secured a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, improving their overall record 26-15. Despite some recent inconsistency, New York still sits atop the National League East, holding a narrow 1.5 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.
New York’s strong start has come despite significant injuries to key players. Before the 2025 MLB season began, the Mets lost starting pitcher Sean Manaea to an oblique injury. The 6-foot-5 left-hander went 12-6 last season, posting a solid 3.47 ERA in 181.2 innings pitched.
Signing a three-year, $75 million extension with the Mets prior to Spring Training, Manaea was projected to frontline their rotation.
On Friday, it was announced by Mets manager Carlos Mendoza that Manaea is “feeling good” and has made strides in his injury rehab (via SNY). While he remains on the 60-day injured list, the left-hander has progressed to throwing from 120 feet.
Amid this news, the Mets have a decision to make. Their 2.88 team ERA is the best in baseball, but with Manaea and other key starters (Paul Blackburn, Frankie Montas) close to returning, a consolidation trade may be necessary.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicted New York could trade right-handed starting pitcher Griffin Canning once Manaea and others return.
“As the impending free agent of the bunch, Canning is surely the lowest hanging fruit,” Miller wrote. “He has been excellent thus far, but he had a 4.78 ERA over the previous six seasons with the Angels. He’ll likely hit the trade block as soon as either Manaea or Montas is back.”
Griffin Canning’s 5th strikeout had dirty movement 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/59vbUQGxQG
— MLB (@MLB) May 11, 2025
Canning has been a huge part of New York’s success this season. He is 5-1 in seven starts and owns the fifth-best ERA (2.36) in the National League. While trading away this level of production would be a head-scratcher to some, Canning is a 2026 free agent and significantly outperforming his career numbers.
Even starting pitching rentals have fetched substantial trade returns in recent years, which increases the likelihood of New York being open to dealing away a starter.
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