Aaron Civale Trade: Guardians talented pitcher traded to Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Kyle Manzardo 

The Cleveland Guardians have decided to move on from their talented starting pitcher Aaron Civale, sending him to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for first base prospect Kyle Manzardo.

"The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring right-hander Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Guardians, sources tell ESPN. They will receive first baseman Kyle Manzardo in return. Deal is done." - @JeffPassan

Earlier on Monday, The Athletics' Zack Meisel reported that the Cleveland Guardians would be open to moving Aaron Civale if they secure a young hitter with team control remaining on their contract. That's something they achieved in the deal with the Rays, as the 23-year-old Manzardo will be under team control for years to come.

The trade was ideal for both parties, as the Tampa Bay Rays were looking to improve their starting pitching, something they did by landing Civale. The 28-year-old has been excellent this season for Cleveland, posting a 5-2 record with a dazzling 2.34 ERA and 58 strikeouts.

"The Rays have added to their rotation by trading for Aaron Civale. In 13 starts for the Guardians this year, Civale has posted a 2.34 ERA and struck out 58 batters." - @JamieGatlin17

Not only does Civale improve the Tampa Bay Rays' pitching rotation, but he comes with an incredibly team-friendly contract, which includes two more seasons of team control. Civale's contract for 2023 was valued at $2.6 million, which fits perfectly within the Rays' contractual philosophy.

The acquisition of Civale will likely not be the last move for the Tampa Bay Rays, who have reportedly been interested in upgrading their catching position, too. The team has been linked to veterans like Elias Diaz and Salvador Perez.

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A close look at the prospect Cleveland Guardians received for Aaron Civale

The Cleveland Guardians remain in the hunt for the postseason, but, at 53-53, it appears that they're content with building for the future, which made Civale expendable. They're only 0.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the division lead.

By moving on from Civale, the Guardians have secured a potential key member of their lineup, landing the Rays' number four prospect Kyle Manzardo. It has been a bit of a disappointing season so far for Manzardo with Triple-A Durham.

Through 73 games this year, Manzardo has hit 11 home runs and 38 RBIs, producing a lowly .238 batting average.

"Here's new Guardians acquisition Kyle Manzardo taking Dylan Bundy 455 feet deep on a cold April day in Syracuse earlier this season" - @BillyHeyen

However, last season while splitting time at A+ and Double-AA, the first baseman showcased his massive upside by batting a combined .327 with 22 home runs and 81 RBIs.

His upside is worth the shot for Cleveland, especially considering that Aaron Civale was not a part of their future plans.