New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) resumed throwing two days ago, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Manaea's follow-up MRI exam came back clean, so he's essentially re-starting his spring training program after being shut down with a strained right oblique earlier in camp. It means that the 33-year-old veteran southpaw is right on schedule. He still has a ways to go as he builds his arm up for a starter's workload, but barring a setback, he could be ready to rejoin the Mets' rotation at some point in April. Nobody really expected much from Manaea in Queens in 2024, but he pitched very well thanks to a lowered arm slot and threw more strikes, too, finishing 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 184:63 K:BB in 181 2/3 regular-season innings over 32 starts. It remains to be seen if he can repeat that success in 2025, but he's at least a little cheaper now that he'll begin the year on the injured list.
Sean Manaea Likely To Miss Opening Day With Oblique Strain
New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) has been diagnosed with a right-oblique strain and will most likely miss Opening Day at the end of March, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Manaea will be shut down for a couple of weeks at spring training before restarting his spring progression. If everything goes well once he resumes throwing, Manaea could make his 2025 debut by mid- or late April. It's an early blow to the Mets' starting pitching, as the veteran left-hander was the team's top pitcher in 2024, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA over 32 starts. The 33-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million contract in the offseason to return to the Mets. With both Manaea and Frankie Montas (lat) injured, it increases the likelihood of Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn (back) all making the Opening Day rotation.
Starting pitcher Sean Manaea signed a three-year contract worth $75 million to return to the New York Mets. Manaea spent the entirety of the 2024 campaign in Queens. Across 181 2/3 innings, the left-handed pitcher held a 3.47 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. During the second-half of the summer, he held a stellar 0.94 WHIP. Under the hood, he generated a 3.75 xERA and .227 xBA which were both slightly above the average marks of qualified hitters. He also generated strikeouts at a solid 24.9% rate and allowed hard contact at a 37.8% hard-hit rate. However, he did hold a high 8.5% walk rate which placed him in the 41st percentile. Fantasy managers should expect Manaea to operate towards the front half of the Mets starting rotation during the 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old should be viewed as a high-floor investment for fantasy purposes as he should provide a reliable innings count with a solid ERA and a strong WHIP.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, before signing Luis Severino, the Athletics made a "big offer" to free-agent starting pitcher Sean Manaea in hopes of bringing him back to his first MLB club. However, given the Athletics agreed on a hefty $67 million contract with Severino, Manaea will likely not return to his first home in 2025. This suggests that Manaea could be in store for a sizeable contract during free agency after posting a strong 3.47 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in Queens. During the second half of the season, Manaea held a stellar 0.94 WHIP. Under the hood, he boasted an above-average .277 xBA and 24.9% strikeout rate. Manaea is worth monitoring in free agency, as he should be a viable third or fourth starter during the 2025 campaign.
Free-agent left-hander Sean Manaea is expected to reject the New York Mets' $21.05 million qualifying offer. If Manaea ends up signing elsewhere on the open market this winter, the Mets will receive draft-pick compensation. The 32-year-old veteran southpaw is looking for a more lucrative long-term deal this offseason after having a career resurgence in 2024 with the Mets. In his 32 starts, he went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA (3.83 FIP), a 1.08 WHIP and a 184:63 K:BB in 181 2/3 innings pitched. He wasn't quite as effective in his four postseason starts in October, allowing 11 runs (10 earned) on 17 hits (three homers) while walking eight and striking out 19 in 19 innings. The key to Manaea's solid year was his ability to unlock more velocity due to mechanical tweaks. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to build on it in 2025. Fantasy managers will likely be skeptical, depending on where he lands in free agency.
The New York Mets extended a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent left-hander Sean Manaea on Monday. If Manaea rejects the offer and signs with another team on the open market this offseason, the Mets will receive draft-pick compensation. New York's starting rotation could look quite different next year, with Luis Severino also being a free agent. The 32-year-old Manaea had one of his better seasons in his first year with the Mets in 2024, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA (3.83 FIP), 1.08 WHIP and a 184:63 K:BB over 181 2/3 innings and 32 starts. Tweaked mechanics helped Manaea post a career-high-tying 25.7% strikeout rate in 2023 with the San Francisco Giants, and he wasn't far behind at 24.9% in 2024, although it came with a career-high 8.5% walk rate. The veteran southpaw's fantasy value will be the highest if he stays in the Big Apple.
Sean Manaea Opts Out Of Contract, Becomes Free Agent
New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea opted out of his contract with the Mets on Saturday and is now a free agent. Manaea had one year and $13.5 million remaining on his contract and is clearly eyeing a bigger payday after a resurgent second half of the season fueled by tweaks to his mechanics. The lefty posted a 3.47 ERA in 2024, his best ERA in a season with 10 or more games started. The lefty will certainly be in demand on the free agent market after his second half success transferred to the postseason. Fantasy managers should expect similar results in 2025 with slight negative regression coming as his 3.47 ERA was buoyed by a 3.75 xERA.
Sean Manaea Gets Hit Around In Elimination Game Of NLCS
New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea had a tough outing in Game 6 of the NLCS on Sunday, taking the loss in a 10-5 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manaea allowed five earned runs in two innings, giving up six hits and two walks while striking out two. The 32-year-old lefty just didn't have it in this one in what was easily his worst start of the postseason. He finishes the postseason with two wins in four starts, a 4.74 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 19 IP. He should be back with the Mets in 2025 as a key part of their rotation.
New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea improved to 2-0 this postseason across three starts after Monday's 7-3 Game 2 victory over the Dodgers, evening the series 1-1. The southpaw went five innings and although only two hits were allowed, he yielded four walks in the outing while striking seven batters. Three runs were charged to Manaea but only two were earned runs. The 32-year-old concluded the regular season having arguably the best campaign of his career and has parlayed that success into the postseason. Through his three 2024 playoff starts, the veteran is 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and a 15.9% K-BB%. If the series goes at least six games or the Mets head to the World Series, the lefty should receive another start. Either way, his fine regular season that ended with a 1.08 WHIP, 3.97 SIERA, and 9.12 K/9 proved he was still a quality fantasy asset which should carry over to next year.
New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea will make the start for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Right-hander Kodai Senga, who made all of one start during the regular season due to injuries, will make the start in Game 1 on Sunday. The 32-year-old Manaea has allowed three earned runs on nine hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out 10 in 12 innings over his two starts against the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies this postseason. It's been a nice change from his previous three playoff appearances, when he gave up 13 earned runs in just 7 2/3 frames. Manaea's lone appearance against the Dodgers in 2024 came way back on April 19 in his fourth start of the year. He took a no-decision on that day, allowing two earned runs with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings pitched at Dodger Stadium.