There wasn’t much flashy about the Mets’ trade-deadline moves, which largely mirrored the approach the front office took in assembling this team last winter.
Maybe Exhibit A on that front was Sean Manaea, the only free agent signed to a multi-year contract (two years, $28 million) by the club.
Manaea has worked out just fine, and Tuesday night even looked elite.
With the left-hander showing his best stuff of the season over seven scoreless innings, the Mets won their second straight, 2-0 over the Twins at Citi Field.
Before the game the team completed trades to address the rotation and bullpen, acquiring starting pitcher Paul Blackburn from the Athletics and relievers Huascar Brazoban and Tyler Zuber from the Marlins and Rays, respectively.
Manaea allowed only two hits and one walk and finished with a season-high 11 strikeouts before Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz combined to record the final six outs.
Diaz, who entered with the tying runs on base in the eighth and struck out Byron Buxton, worked 1 1/3 innings for his 13th save.
The Mets (57-50) moved seven games above .500 for the second time this season and will look to complete the series sweep on Wednesday before heading to the West Coast.
Manaea’s outing followed a strong performance a night earlier from Jose Quintana, who limited the Twins to one run over six innings. Manaea relied heavily on his sinker and surrendered two singles, to Brooks Lee and Carlos Santana, on the night.
Offensively, the Mets were quiet a night after erupting for 15 runs, but managed to survive on five hits.
J.D. Martinez stroked an RBI single in the fourth that brought in the game’s first run.
Brandon Nimmo walked and took second on a balk before reaching third on a wild pitch. Martinez followed with a single that gave him 47 RBIs for the season.
Mark Vientos homered leading off the fifth to give the Mets a 2-0 lead. The blast was Vientos’ third in seven games and 15th overall this season.
The ensuing batter, Jeff McNeil, got plunked by David Festa, but was left stranded at second base.
Festa, a Verona, N.J. native who attended Seton Hall, lasted five innings and allowed two earned runs on three hits with six strikeouts and one walk. It was the fourth major league appearance for the right-hander and third as a starter.