Signing Juan Soto this off-season was a boon for the New York Mets, of course. However, if the team wanted to further solidify its chance for a World Series title, it needed to shore up its pitching staff.
The Mets addressed that on Monday with a deal that will keep Sean Manaea as an anchor in its rotation.
The left-hander joined the club as a free agent ahead of last season and made himself an integral piece during the Mets’ surprise run to the National League Championship Series.
Here’s a closer look at Manaea’s deal.
The deal:
Sean Manaea agrees to a three-year, $75-million contract with the New York Mets.
The runners up:
The Mets’ union with Manaea made sense, and it always seemed like the club wanted to keep him in the fold. Earlier this off-season, the Baltimore Orioles were also linked to the left-hander.
The player:
Manaea altered the trajectory of his career in the middle of last season when he tweaked his delivery. Inspired by the resurgence of fellow southpaw Chris Sale, Manaea lowered his arm slot and instantly found success. Over his final 12 regular season starts, his command improved, and he fashioned a 3.09 ERA along with an impressive .170 opponent’s batting average.
He essentially ditched his four-seam fastball in 2024 and relied heavily on a sinker that produced a Run Value of 15. According to Baseball Savant, that tied as the 24th most impactful pitch in MLB.
In the post-season, the left-hander authored a standout performance during the pivotal Game 3 of the NL Division Series when he held the Philadelphia Phillies to just one run on three hits over seven innings.
Manaea, a nine-year veteran, became an integral clubhouse presence with the Mets, and this new contract, in some ways, is a product of that. He’ll turn 33 in February and if he can continue building on the changes he made in 2024, Manaea figures to be a pillar in the rotation during what the club hopes will be a successful several years.
The fit:
Manaea slots nicely into a Mets rotation that needed him. The club lost right-hander Luis Severino to free agency, and if Manaea went elsewhere too, it would have further depleted a starting staff that was a strength of the team last year and ranked fourth in the NL with a 3.91 ERA.
Manaea will likely be followed in the rotation by Kodai Senga and David Peterson, in addition to Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, both of whom signed with the Mets this off-season. That’s a solid collective of hurlers, and it remains to be seen whether the club, which has doled out nearly $1 billion since the season ended, will further seek to bolster its staff.
Roki Sasaki, the phenom Japanese right-hander, could be in play for the club and would come at a modest price.
The market:
MLB Trade Rumors pegged a three-year, $60-million deal for Manaea. He received that term but beat the forecast by $15 million.
The next domino:
Manaea is considered a mid-tier starter, the type of which is quickly moving off the board. Walker Buehler agreed to a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sex on Monday, and the next domino in focus could be fellow right-hander Jack Flaherty. It’s worth noting that free agent ace Corbin Burnes is still available but is in a different tier altogether and is said to be seeking upwards of $200 million.
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