New Kyle Manzardo Injury Update Sours Aaron Civale Trade Return
With the Aug. 1 trade deadline fast approaching, the Guardians made a major move on Monday, sending starting pitcher Aaron Civale to the Rays. In exchange for the 28-year-old, Cleveland received highly regarded first baseman prospect Kyle Manzardo from Tampa Bay.
Fans are sad to see Civale go after his breakout first half of the 2023 campaign. Many also see this as a sign that the Guardians are punting on playoff contention considering they moved a win-now player for someone who hasn't made their MLB debut.
For those irked about Cleveland seemingly giving up on the postseason, the latest update on Manzardo somehow makes things even worse.
Kyle Manzardo has been on the IL since earlier this month w/ a shoulder strain. #Guardians Chris Antonetti says he's working through his rehab progression now. He's a few weeks out from minor league activity but will join Triple-A Columbus and continue the season there when ready
— Carly Mascitti (@carlymascitti) July 31, 2023
President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti spoke with reporters Monday afternoon following news of the Civale deal. He discussed Manzardo's health, given that the gifted prospect has been on the injured list since July 6 with a shoulder strain. Antonetti revealed it'll likely be a "few weeks," per Carly Mascitti of News 5 Cleveland, before the 1B is even able to resume minor league play.
This certainly isn't the news fans wanted to hear about the Guardians' newest addition. Making the loss of Civale a little easier to swallow is the fact Manzardo's ranked as MLB's No. 37 overall prospect. However, his injury situation puts an immediate damper on the trade since followers won't even be able to see what he can for upwards of a month in the best-case scenario.
It sounds like Manzardo's in jeopardy of missing potentially all of August if his few weeks timeline holds up. Cleveland could also opt to be ultra-cautious with its new prized youngster and opt to sit him the rest of the year if his recovery doesn't go as smoothly.
This move was ultimately made with the futue in mind, though, so expecting a quick turnaround on this deal isn't realistic. If Manzardo lives up to the hype, waiting on his Guardians debut will be well worth it.
For now, Cleveland will try to contend for the AL Central title without Civale and the injured Shane Bieber. That could be a tall task, but the second half of the MLB season is known for its surprises.