Padres make significant, unexpected trade to add Sean Manaea to already-deep pitching staff

Padres acquire LHP Sean Manaea from the A’s in exchange for two top prospects

The San Diego Padres are kicking off Opening Day week with a shocking trade, acquiring left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea and minor league right-handed pitcher Aaron Holiday from the Oakland A’s.

According to MLB reporter Mark Feinsand, who broke the news, the Padres are sending infielder Euribiel Angeles and pitcher Adrian Martinez, two of their top prospects, to the Athletics in return. MLB Pipeline listed Angeles as the Padres’ No. 12 prospect, and Martinez at No. 26.

The Padres’ proverbial cup runneth over with starting pitching; Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Blake Snell, Chris Paddack, Mike Clevinger, just to name a few. However, several pitchers are question marks who are clearly enough of a concern that the front office was willing to trade away two top prospects to bring in another option.

Manaea getting traded felt inevitable, as so many of his teammates were already gone. The perennially-cheap A’s have been conducting a fire sale (shoutout Arrested Development) since the lockout ended. Chris Bassitt is now with the New York Mets, Matt Olson replaced Freddie Freeman on the Atlanta Braves, and Matt Chapman went to the Toronto Blue Jays.

But the Padres, with their aforementioned pitching depth, didn’t seem like a presumed landing spot, which leads to a few new questions:

1. Is there something wrong with another Padres pitcher?
2. Did the Padres get Manaea because they’re preparing to trade away a different pitcher? 
3. If so, who?

Padres rumors: Club among those desperately trying to trade for Pirates CF Bryan Reynolds

Latest report says the San Diego Padres have engaged the Pittsburgh Pirates in trade discussions about star outfielder Bryan Reynolds.