Sean Manaea’s Promising Starting Stretch Gives the Mets a Much-Needed Boost

Sean Manaea is giving the Mets exactly what they need from him. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

After facing scrutiny from fans to start the season, Sean Manaea’s future with the Mets was thrown into the air. However, the Samoan southpaw has found a place in Queens, one that will be essential moving forward.

Entering the 2026 season, Manaea didn’t have a true set role. He was expected to serve as a bulk reliever, cleaning up messes when the bullpen was leaned on for length, or when a game was out of hand. The role wasn’t working, and fans were angered by his unreliable performance. They had every right to be; Manaea signed a three-year contract after a surprising breakout season in 2024, where he helped bring the Mets to the National League Championship Series. 

Through his first 21 innings this season, Manaea held a 7.00 ERA, allowing runs in four consecutive outings. One of the biggest worries for Manaea was his dip in fastball velocity, which maxed out in the high 80s, leaving an even smaller margin of error. 

However, at a time of need, the Mets leaned on Manaea in a larger role. 

Sean Manaea giving the Mets starting rotation hope 

Manaea was originally signed in 2024 on a one-year “prove it” deal, joining Luis Severino in a flurry of moves by David Stearns when joining the Mets as their President of Baseball Operations. The low-risk, high-reward move seemed like a dud through the first few months of the season, but a change of mechanics served as a complete career revitalization. He finished with a 12-6 record, holding a career-best 3.47 ERA along with 184 strikeouts.

Two years later, fans were calling the 34-year-old an early-season DFA candidate. However, after returning to the Mets rotation on June 13 against the Braves, the 2024 breakout starter returned to his old form, proving it yet again against the Phillies in the win on Thursday. 

Sean Manaea strands the runner at third after a leadoff triple! pic.twitter.com/spYjbjtZ5d

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 18, 2026

Against Philadelphia, Manaea proved his sweeper was still lethal, finishing with 11 total whiffs on the sweeper, walking just one batter. The start would go 5 1/3 innings, with Manaea allowing just six hits and two runs, striking out five total batters. 

The Mets getting solid performances from Manaea gives them a little bit of breathing room over the next few weeks, especially with Christian Scott recently landing on the 15-day injured list. The 27-year-old served as the Mets' third option, dominating in his nine starts with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 47 batters. With a hip injury sidelining him for the time being, the Mets will now lean on Manaea to serve as someone reliable. 

If Scott can return in the coming weeks, followed by Clay Holmes in August, the Mets find themselves with a full rotation capable of working every five days consistently—not having to rely on a bullpen game two days a week. However, speculation hangs in the balance; if the Mets continue playing poor baseball, they could very well part ways with several pieces, including Freddy Peralta, who enters free agency after the 2026 season.

Peralta was acquired this offseason to improve the Mets' rotation's ability to stretch out games, pulling stress and dependence from a bullpen that was constantly overworked in 2025. The move hasn’t exactly done that, with Peralta pitching at a mediocre level, giving the Mets every reason to move him if needed. Holmes is another option to be dealt, with his name likely coming up on the market if healthy by August 3. 

If Manaea continues to provide consistent starts, could he also be another pitcher on his way out? It would be highly unlikely, especially with Manaea’s $25 million annual salary, which the Mets would likely have to eat if they were to find a suitor interested, something that would make very little sense.