Sean Manaea Could Be on Thin Ice If Mets' Rumored Pitching Plans Come True

It has become abundantly clear that the New York Mets' top priority this offseason is upgrading their starting rotation.

Acquiring a frontline starter was always expected, but whether another significant addition would be on the way remains up in the air. However, a new report has offered more clarity.

Former general manager Jim Duquette, who attended this week's GM Meetings in Las Vegas, said he got the sense from people he's spoken to that the Mets are trying to acquire two starting pitchers this winter.

If this rumor comes to fruition, it could spell trouble for Sean Manaea's role in the starting rotation next season.

One thing was clear from the GM meetings after speaking with several MLB people , that the Mets are casting a wide net in their search for pitching, in addition to meeting with Skubal. And the sense was they will try and sign or trade for MULTIPLE SP, not just one. Also, adding a…
— Jim Duquette (@JimDuquetteGM) November 12, 2026

Sean Manaea may have already lost his spot in the starting rotation

Manaea is entering the final season of his three-year, $75 million contract that he signed with New York after his stellar 2024 campaign. The left-hander has struggled to come anywhere close to living up to the value of his sizeable contract, posting an ERA over 4.70 in back-to-back seasons.

Despite his poor results, Manaea was expected to claim one of the five rotation spots entering next season. But the Mets aren't viewing it that way.

According to a new report from Jorge Castillo of ESPN, "the Mets view only Nolan McLean and Christian Scott as locks for the rotation next season."

Outside of Manaea, the Mets' other rotation options are Zac Thornton, Tylor Megill, and Jonah Tong. If Duquette's report about the Mets adding two starters this winter holds, that leaves only one available rotation spot.

Manaea figures to have an edge over Megill and Tong, but Thornton is a different story. The young left-hander thoroughly impressed in his rookie season, posting a 3.42 ERA, 63 strikeouts, and a 1.14 WHIP (15 starts).

Thornton at times looked even more promising than Scott or McLean, consistently showing an ability to pitch deep into games. Still, there are concerns about the 24-year-old's underlying metrics that give the Mets pause.

According to Baseball Savant, Thornton's 4.52 xERA was a full run higher than his actual ERA of 3.42. Additionally, he struggles to generate swing-and-misses, posting just a 17.8% whiff rate. But perhaps his most concerning metric was the offspeed and breaking pitches combining for a -6 run value.

At the end of the season, manager Andy Green expressed confidence in the young left-hander's future, noting he still has room to physically develop, which could lead to increased velocity. If Thornton enters Spring Training having made strides in his development, he may quickly show why he's more deserving of a rotation spot than Manaea.

Perhaps the biggest reason Manaea could be the odd man out is his previous experience pitching out of the bullpen. Last season, the veteran left-hander made 12 relief appearances in addition to 19 starts.

The Mets may feel more comfortable entrusting Manaea with a long-relief role rather than disrupting Thornton's development as a starter.

New York could also explore trading Manaea this offseason if they believe moving him would be more beneficial than keeping him in a bullpen role. However, that possibility seems unlikely given his recent struggles and the $19,243,000 he's owed next season.

Either way, the Mets can't afford to keep giving Manaea chances, hoping he regains his 2024 form. New York needs to find other ways to get the most value from him as it looks to return to October.

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