New York Mets Re-Sign Sean Manaea to Three-Year Deal

Left-handed starting pitcher Sean Manaea will return to the New York Mets after experiencing a career-year with them in 2024.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts after a double play in the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

While much of the East Coast slept, the New York Mets made a significant move to bolster their starting rotation.

At 1:44 a.m. ET, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Mets had agreed to terms on a three-year, $75 million contract with left-hander Sean Manaea. Manaea returns to Queens, where he enjoyed a career-best season in 2024 after signing a "prove-it" deal last winter.

BREAKING: Left-hander Sean Manaea and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The 32-year-old is running it back with the Mets.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 23, 2024

Manaea, who turns 33 in February, made 32 starts for the Mets this past season, posting a 12-6 record and a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts over a career-high 181.2 innings. From July 1 through his final postseason appearance, Manaea posted a 3.40 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and 127 strikeouts in 124.1 innings.

SEVEN scoreless innings for Sean Manaea! 😤 #NLDS pic.twitter.com/ppWWzgy3vp

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2024

In his first three postseason starts, Manaea allowed just five earned runs over 17 innings (2.65 ERA) against the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He earned wins in Game 2 of both the NLDS and NLCS. However, his Game 6 start in Los Angeles ended his team’s postseason run, as he gave up five runs in two innings in a 10-5 loss.

Before joining the Mets, Manaea spent his entire career on the West Coast with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, and San Francisco Giants. Over eight seasons, he posted a 4.10 ERA and showed flashes of ace potential. But from 2022-2023, he struggled with a 4.87 ERA in 277 innings as both a starter and a reliever.

Manaea’s turnaround in 2024 was sparked in part by his observation of Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young Award winner. Manaea lowered his arm slot, creating a tougher angle for hitters, and simplified his pitch mix, focusing more on sinkers and sweepers.

His sinker, thrown 44.3% of the time, was particularly effective. Opponents batted just .201 against the pitch, which generated an excellent +15 run value, according to Statcast.

Manaea will reunite with former A’s teammate and close friend Frankie Montas, who signed a two-year deal with the Mets in December after posting a 4.84 ERA in 150.2 innings with the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers in 2024.

Along with Kodai Senga, Manaea and Montas will anchor a rotation that currently includes nine viable big-league starters. Griffin Canning, Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and José Buttó are all capable back-end options competing for the fifth spot in the rotation. 

Both Clay Holmes and David Peterson offer versatility, with the ability to start or work out of the bullpen. Furthermore, the Mets recently met with star Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, suggesting they may not be finished adding to their rotation just yet.