Baltimore Orioles Predicted To Sign Mets Ace Sean Manaea to Free-Agent Deal

The Baltimore Orioles are predicted to sign Sean Manaea to a three-year deal that would bolster their starting rotation.

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) walks to the dugout after being relieved in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles want and need an ace-caliber starter this winter. If Corbin Burnes returns, that problem will be much easier to answer than if he departs.

Fortunately, this free agency class is filled with high-end starting pitchers. If the Orioles are willing to hand out even a decent-sized deal, they should be in an excellent position.

According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, they're in the mix for some of the top starters on the market. Outside of Roki Sasaki, all others would be at least $150 million. If Baltimore didn't land any of the prominent starters, it could focus its attention on second-tier guys.

Among that tier includes Sean Manaea, a left-hander who's proven to have above-average stuff. Bowden predicted the Orioles would sign him to a three-year, $68 million contract, a deal that wouldn't only help them add an excellent arm to their staff but also give them a chance to do more.

"The Orioles are playing at the top of the starting pitching market — Corbin Burnes, Fried, Roki Sasaki and others — but if that fails, Manaea would be a solid backup plan after his breakout season with the Mets," the former MLB general manager wrote.

Manaea posted a quality season with the Mets after he came over from the San Francisco Giants. He went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA, with 184 strikeouts in 181.2 innings. He also had a 1.084 WHIP.

Analytically, his fastball run value ranked in the 99th percentile and his extension was in the 96th percentile. All three of his major pitchers were quality last season, as batters hit .167 against his four-seamer, .193 against his sweeper and .201 against his sinker.

Manaea's free agency case is an intriguing one. He has all the tools to be a No. 2 in a rotation on a contending team, but his 2022 and 2023 campaigns can't go unnoticed.

He posted a 4.96 ERA in 2022 and a 4.44 ERA in 2023. Last season, he was better than ever, posting the lowest ERA of his career in a campaign in which he threw in more than 29.2 innings.

Will a team reward him for that? If the trend continues, probably. The starting pitching market has been as expensive as ever, even on the trade front.

With Manaea's numbers coming in a contract year, previous contracts around the league would suggest he's set to get paid.

He isn't as sure of a thing as a guy like Burnes, but there aren't many pitchers in the world who are.

If Baltimore isn't willing to pay Burnes and others, Manaea would be one of the better, cheaper options.