Inside The Mets

Mets’ Sean Manaea worked with Johan Santana on changeup grip

Former Mets ace Johan Santana returned to camp as a guest instructor, offering tips to Sean Manaea and other pitchers.

John Sparaco

Feb 15, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Feb 15, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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Johan Santana was back in a New York Mets uniform on Saturday, returning to spring training as a guest instructor.

While watching pitchers throw side sessions on the backfields, Santana was also spotted offering advice to fellow left-hander Sean Manaea, who grew up idolizing the former Mets ace.

“It’s cool when you have the greats just handing out knowledge like that,” Manaea told reporters on Sunday. He shared that he discussed the importance of having a 'bulldog' mentality on the mound with the two-time Cy Young Award winner, as well as experimenting with different changeup grips.

Manaea even joked that he might have a good changeup this season thanks to Santana's guidance.

Manaea, 33, threw his changeup just 11.8% of the time in 2024, according to Statcast, but the pitch did not bring nearly the success of his other offerings. It posted the worst run value (-3), batting average (.250), and slugging percentage (.438) among all his pitches.

Despite struggling with his changeup, Manaea had a career year in Queens, thanks to several key adjustments he made. He lowered his arm slot to create a more challenging angle for hitters and simplified his pitch mix, focusing more on his four-seam fastball (.159 opponent batting average), sinker (+11 run value), and sweeper (41.5% strikeout rate).

Manaea finished the regular season with a 12-6 record, a 3.47 ERA, and 184 strikeouts across a career-high 181.2 innings. From July 1 through his final postseason appearance, he posted a 3.40 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts in 124.1 innings.

In the postseason, Manaea went 2-1 in four starts, allowing just five earned runs over his first 17 innings (2.65 ERA) before struggling in his final outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in NLCS Game 6. The veteran left-hander finally cashed in on a three-year, $75 million contract (which includes some deferred payments) after previously settling for “prove-it” deals in his other free-agent years.

Santana, who turns 46 in March, also signed his first big contract with the Mets. Shortly after being traded from the Minnesota Twins in February 2008, he agreed to a six-year, $137.5 million extension—making him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball at the time.

Read More: Carlos Mendoza reveals origin of Johan Santana's Mets reunion

Santana spent four seasons with the Mets, posting a 46-34 record, a 3.18 ERA, and a 1.20 WHIP. However, after missing the entire 2011 season due to anterior capsule surgery on his left shoulder—and then suffering another tear in 2013 that sidelined him for another full season—the Mets bought out Santana’s 2014 option for $5.5 million, ending his time in New York.

Though his final season in Queens was statistically his worst, it also produced perhaps his most unforgettable moment. On June 1, 2012, just 11 starts after returning from surgery, Santana threw the first no-hitter in Mets history, shutting down the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals in a 134-pitch effort.

Santana capped his historic performance by striking out 2011 World Series MVP David Freese with his devastating changeup—a moment Manaea likely hopes to replicate in a Mets uniform.

As spring training progresses, Manaea will have the perfect opportunity to test out some new changeup grips. He plans to throw a live batting practice session on Monday and expects to make his 2025 Grapefruit League debut shortly after.

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John Sparaco
JOHN SPARACO

John Sparaco is a contributing writer for the Mets website On SI. He has previously written for Cold Front Report, Times Union and JKR Baseball, where he profiled some of the top recruits, college players and draft prospects in baseball. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @JohnSparaco

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