There are still some big question marks surrounding the New York Mets this winter, even after the monumental Juan Soto signing.
In Soto, the Mets have a game-changing bat at the top of their order. But they can score all the runs they want–if they can’t keep them off the board, they won’t be World Series contenders in 2025.
The Mets’ starting rotation is in a confusing place, after slotting in free-agent signings Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes as high-risk upside candidates. No one who threw over 130 innings for the Mets is currently slated to be back, and without continuity, the rotation could eventually collapse.
For that reason, fans have clamored all fall for a reunion with lefty Sean Manaea, who proved to be the Mets’ most reliable starter during the 2024 season. Manaea, 33, posted a 12-6 record with a 3.47 ERA in his resurgent year with the Mets.
On Tuesday, David Schoenfield of ESPN predicted that the Mets would bring back Manaea on a four-year, $86 million contract this winter.
The Mets have signed Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes (with the intention of making him starter), which still leaves Kodai Senga and David Peterson at the front of the rotation,” Schoenfield said.
“You can’t sign Soto for $765 million and then head into a season in which your top two starters are Senga, coming off a season of 10⅓ total innings, and Peterson, who has never started more than 21 games and has a career ERA over 4.00. It’s hard to believe they won’t sign another starter and bringing back Manaea makes sense.”
Manaea had two rough years in 2022 and 2023 with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants, but discovered himself in Queens after changing his arm slot to mimic Cy Young winner Chris Sale. That mechanical change bodes well for him as he looks to continue his late-career breakout into his mid-30s.
Though $86 million is still a decent chunk of change, Manaea is a more affordable option to head up the Mets’ rotation than, say, Corbin Burnes. It’s a deal that makes sense for all sides, but that’s never any kind of guarantee in modern free agency.
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