Manaea Struggles Again in Mets’ Loss to Nationals

In a recent game, Sean Manaea appeared to start strong, effectively pitching on his first 50 throws while hitting eight batters. However, as the game progressed, his performance drastically fell off, evidenced by an alarming final pitch count of 41, which ended with him hitting zero batters.

He ended the outing with statistics reflecting 3 hits and 4 runs allowed. Critics could point to his walks and two hit batters as signs of his struggles, particularly as Manaea seemed to fade as the game went deeper. There’s some concern, too, as he has yet to complete six innings in any of his eight starts since being activated from the injured list, which is—well, concerning for a starting pitcher.

“He reached those five innings, so that’s something,” said Manager Carlos Mendoza, acknowledging Manaea’s performance despite his 5.15 ERA this season, particularly disappointing given his surprising success in 2024. It seems like he just isn’t quite himself anymore.

Manaea, who had been sidelined with arm issues until mid-July, returned but has not recaptured the form he showed last year. His velocity is noticeably down this season, and it appears he’s struggled with maintaining control throughout his games.

“I’m not saying I’m tired—I feel fine,” Manaea said, addressing the struggles he’s faced this season after having pitched to 20 batters. “I can’t really explain why I hit that wall.” It was notable that, for a brief period, he was dominant again—throwing just 22 pitches (with 17 being strikes) over two innings.

The Nationals managed to score in the fourth with a hit from CJ Abrams, then tacked another run on a passed ball. Abrams eventually crossed home plate.

In the fifth inning, Manaea faced challenges when Brady House singled. Jacob Young laid down a sacrifice attempt, but the throw to first was just too late. Disappointingly, his defense couldn’t help him navigate through the situation. He then allowed a sacrifice fly and walked another batter, which loaded the bases.

“I lost my footing there and lost control of my fastball,” Manaea admitted, as he witnessed Tyler Rodgers allow a two-run single shortly after. His ongoing problems with both length and performance seem to be a significant concern, echoed by others in the rotation, such as Kodai Senga, who are struggling as well.

With players like Frankie Montas already out of the rotation, Mendoza expressed the urgency of needing improvement, stating, “We need to do better.” It’s clear the situation needs addressing.