What the Sean Manaea-David Peterson Swap Means for the Mets Rotation

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

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Friday afternoon that struggling starting pitcher David Peterson was being pulled from the rotation and replaced with Sean Manaea, who had been working as a bulk reliever for the team.

Manaea is in the second season of a three-year contract with the Mets that is worth $25 million a season. With such a commitment to their 2024 ace, it would behoove New York to try to get Manaea back to his prior form.

As for Peterson, he is in the final season of his arbitration run with the club, and there were minimal talks of an extension in Queens before the season began. This year has been brutal to the 2017 first-round selection, posting a 5.57 ERA and 23 walks over 53.1 innings. With a move to the bullpen set to be finalized this weekend, it feels as though Peterson's future with the organization is all but set in stone.

The change in the Mets' rotation could end David Peterson's tenure and revive Sean Manaea's

This could be a major move for the Mets, as Manaea has shown before that he can be a true ace for a playoff team. From June 14 through the end of the regular season, Manaea posted a 3.05 ERA over 20 starts, which included 124 strikeouts in 121 innings. New York finished the playoffs on the inside by just one game that year, with Manaea's pitching being more than the difference.

A recent uptick in velocity has him sitting at 92-94 MPH with his fastball, which is reason to believe that he could be able to regain his effectiveness. If that is the case, this could seriously change the Mets' season.

At least in his first outing back, Manaea will work behind an opener in the rotation, but will have free rein as the bulk reliever behind whoever it may be. This strategy had worked for Peterson, though it all fell apart again once he was moved back to a true starting role. Manaea will get a few looks and has found recent success as a reliever, so he could serve effectively out of either role.

Peterson had been a staple in Mendoza's rotation the past two and a half seasons, but this ends his run and likely his Mets career. Unless Peterson finds incredible success as a reliever and embraces the role, he will likely head to free agency looking for a home to start games again and rebuild his value.

There would likely be no scenario in which he is a Mets starting pitcher in 2027, and he feels much closer to the roster bubble now than he was a few weeks ago.

If New York continues to struggle to string together wins, Peterson could find himself off of the roster as they would likely be embracing another wave of their youth movement.

As for Manaea, a return to even 75% of his 2024 form could save his career and put him back in the Mets' 2027 pitching plans. This would give the Mets another strong, above-average starter with playoff experience, and would be a great complement to the likes of starters Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, and Christian Scott.