Sean Manaea’s Season Debut: A Mixed Bag

Sean Manaea’s first appearance of the season went well, though perhaps not as well as he hoped. He managed to keep the Mets competitive without allowing any runs. That’s a plus. Yet, he still displayed the same decline in velocity that was evident during spring training. Throughout that period, he mentioned that participating in key games would help improve his performance—something like needing that extra “zip” in his pitch.

While Manaea performed decently, it doesn’t seem to spark much confidence that he could assume a starting role going forward. The Mets fell to the Pirates 4-3 at Citi Field, and his performance likely did little to shift expectations.

The left-handed pitcher, who is currently part of the Mets’ bullpen, entered the game in the seventh inning of a tied match. He gave up a single to O’Neal Cruz but later induced a ground ball out from Brandon Lowe, showing some control.

Returning for the eighth inning, he struck out two batters and, despite allowing a two-out walk, ended the inning with another ground out from Nick Gonzalez. So, overall, it was, um, a mixed success, I guess?

Of course, transitioning to relief pitching isn’t a walk in the park for many players. Manaea’s average fastball velocity last year was 88.7 mph, down from 91.7 mph. His changeup and sweeper also dropped in speed by over 2 mph, which is a bit concerning.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza found some encouragement in Manaea’s performance, noting that he managed to get four whiffs even with those reduced numbers. However, he admitted they were closely watching the radar readings.

“There’s some deception in his throws,” Mendoza noted, while also mentioning that they need to continue assessing how things develop with Bello.

Manaea remains optimistic, claiming that he expects his pitch speed to improve. He should, right?

He expressed his relief at being healthy, especially given that he dealt with oblique and elbow injuries that sidelined him for the early months of last season. “There’s nothing wrong with my shoulder or elbow,” Manaea emphasized.

He’s acknowledged having pitched at this intensity before, but he knows he needs to do it more consistently. The Mets, meanwhile, are keeping an eye on him. They plan to pay him $50 million through next season, though he currently ranks behind players like Freddy Peralta and David Peterson for a starting spot.

At 34 years old, he hasn’t voiced discontent about losing his rotation spot, at least not publicly, and he’s adjusting to his current relief role. He found out on Saturday that he was slated to pitch the following day, and he seems to be handling it well. “I’ve pitched in relief before, so it’s all about adapting,” Manaea said. “I’m doing fine with it.”