The Mets are weighing what to do with Sean Manaea after moving him to the bullpen before the season and watching the left-hander struggle when he did get work. Manaea went 2-4 with a 5.64 ERA over 12 starts in 2025, and his ERA has climbed to 6.85 this season.
That is a sharp fall from the pitcher New York brought back on a three-year, $75 million contract after his strong 2024 campaign. Manaea made 32 starts for the Mets last year, went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA and struck out 184 batters, then helped the club in the postseason with two wins in four starts and a 4.74 ERA.
For a stretch last summer, Manaea looked like one of the Mets’ most important arms. After a rocky June in 2024, he changed his approach and turned his season around, finishing as a major part of the club’s push to the postseason. That is why this season’s downturn has landed so hard.
Before this year started, the Mets shifted Manaea to the bullpen, and he has not made a start for the club so far this season. His fastball velocity, which used to sit around 91-92 mph, has been around 87-89 mph since the year began, a sign that the team is not seeing the same pitcher it signed only months ago.
The Mets now have several paths with two remaining years on the deal still hanging over them. They could trade Manaea, designate him for assignment, release him or send him to the minor leagues, though a DFA or release would mean the club has to eat the rest of the contract. New York made a similar move with Kodai Senga last season, a reminder that the club is willing to make hard calls when a pitcher's role no longer fits.
Manaea’s next inning may end up mattering less than the decision the Mets make around him. The pitcher who helped carry their 2024 run back to October is now at the center of a roster choice that tests both patience and payroll.
