Sean Manaea to Opt Out of Contract With New York Mets, Hit Free Agency

After a bounce back year with the New York Mets, Sean Manaea has decided to pass up on $13.5 million and try his luck as a free agent.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts after being relieved in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during Game 3 of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea intends to opt out of his contract and enter free agency, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported Saturday.

Manaea had one year and $13.5 million remaining on the two-year, $28 million deal he inked with the Mets last offseason. Now, he will have the freedom to pursue a multi-year contract this winter.

The southpaw, who is set to turn 33 years old before the start of Spring Training, went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA, 1.084 WHIP, 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.0 WAR in 2024.

News: Sean Manaea intends to opt out of the $13.5 million option on his contract, per source.

No surprise there, as Manaea is likely to receive significant multi-year interest on the open market.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) November 2, 2024

It marked a return to form for Manaea, who has gone through some highs and lows over the past few years.

Manaea got his start with the Oakland Athletics in 2016, posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.189 WHIP and 3.0 WAR as a rookie. He threw a no-hitter early on in the 2018 campaign, but he underwent shoulder surgery at the end of the season and was limited to five starts in 2019 as a result.

The A's traded Manaea to the San Diego Padres at the very beginning of 2022, and he proceeded to put up a 4.96 ERA across 30 appearances. The San Francisco Giants then landed Manaea on a two-year, $25 million contract when he entered free agency that winter.

Despite going 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA, 1.241 WHIP and 0.3 WAR in 10 starts and 27 relief outings in 2023, Manaea opted out of his contract with the Giants, opening the door for him to join the Mets. Without Manaea, it's unlikely that New York would have made it to the NLCS in 2024, as he had a 2.65 ERA and 1.000 WHIP through his first three starts this postseason.

Manaea went out with a whimper, however, allowing five earned runs in 2.0 innings in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That may wind up being his final appearance in a Mets uniform, considering he can sign with a new team as soon as Monday.

The Mets will surely be in the market to bring Manaea back, especially with Jose Quintana and Luis Severino entering free agency as well. Spotrac is predicting Manea to net a two-year, $29 million contract on the open market.

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