Sean Manaea Gives Mets Plenty of Reasons for Hope After Strong Start

This was a great showing from the Mets' veteran starter.

Jun 13, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) follows through on a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Mets turned to veteran left-handed starter Sean Manaea for his first true start of the season, and it felt as though the Mets' ace from the miracle run to the NLCS in 2024 was back on the mound.

Manaea had been exclusively working as a reliever this year, first as a true long man and more recently as a designated bulk reliever behind an opener. This was his first start since the end of the 2025 season, a year that Manaea would like to forget altogether.

Once the 2026 season hits its halfway point in a few weeks, the Mets' lone lefty starter will be halfway through a three-year, $75 million contract he signed with the Mets in free agency after his initial one-year deal in 2024.

The Mets are in desperate need of starting pitching, and despite turning over plenty of stones so far this year in search of answers, it took them until mid-June to turn to Manaea. When right, he can be one of the 30 best starters in the National League, which would be an absurd boost to the team's current crop of starters.

Their pitching is still in a state of major flux, but Manaea had a chance to earn a longer look in the Mets' rotation, especially as their bats are hitting better and are getting healthier. If they are going to revive their season, it is now or never for the 2026 New York Mets, and Manaea showed that he could be a major piece going forward.

Sean Manaea earned a few more starts in the Mets' rotation with his strong showing on Saturday afternoon

Against the first-place Atlanta Braves on Saturday at Citi Field, Manaea went six strong innings, allowing just four hits, two earned runs, and striking out six. He was still credited with the loss, but it was his first outing of six innings since Game 3 of the 2024 NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies.

However, another important aspect of his first start was that he did not allow a single walk, an issue that has been plaguing Mets starters for some time now. New York's starters are ranked third in the majors in walks per nine innings with 4.03, per Fangraphs.

Of the five spots in the rotation, manager Carlos Mendoza has been rolling with three true starters and a pair of bullpen games, which have begun to be a problem for the Mets. Prospect Jonah Tong did not do enough in his quick stint to earn a spot in the rotation indefinitely, but Manaea might have done just that. He provided length, stability, and command, three aspects that Mendoza and his staff are desperate for.

Contractually, Manaea still has one more year left on his contract at $25 million. If he can find a way to be a worthwhile Major League starter once again, the Mets might be able to salvage the final year of his deal and better set up their pitching over the next season and a half.

Starting pitching is going to make or break whether the Mets can make a run of it in 2026, but they found a glimmer of hope in Manaea's first start of the season. If he can build upon that and string together a few good outings in a row, he could find himself once again a regular in Mendoza's rotation.