The Positive Takeaways from the Mets’ Rough Start After the Break

While the final score at Citi Field—Reds 8, Mets 4—was disappointing, there were some bright spots amid the chaos, particularly in the performances of Alex Carrillo and Brandon Waddell, which may have suffered due to questionable bullpen decisions made by manager Carlos Mendoza.

Despite the loss, there were aspects of Sean Manaea’s performance that stood out in a good way.

He resembled last year’s Manaea during his return to the mound against the Royals last Sunday. Over four innings, he was quite effective, with just a lone home run from Austin Hayes in the fourth inning marring an otherwise solid outing.

Manaea pitched six innings, issued two walks, and threw 69 pitches in his first start of the season. The most crucial takeaway? He felt healthy.

“The arms feel good. My body feels good,” the left-hander shared. “That’s all you can ask for.”

The plan entering the game was to limit him to around 70 pitches, especially following his 65-pitch relief stint on Sunday.

However, the only real criticism Manaea had for himself was his efficiency on the mound.

“Yes, I definitely didn’t achieve that today. That’s the most frustrating part,” he reflected. “I threw a few good sliders, but there were also some that could have been better.”

Overall, it’s hard to find fault in how he pitched.

Manaea believes they’ll tighten things up as they move forward, though he understands the team’s cautious approach. It’s really crucial that they don’t want to risk losing him again.

“I want to be there for as long as possible, but I understand the situation,” he admitted, noting the necessity of sticking to the pitch count. “I just want to do what I can with the pitches I’m assigned.”