Left-handed pitcher Sean Manaea has inked a free-agent deal with the New York Mets, as reported by The New York Post’s Jon Heyman. The contract terms stand at $28 million over two years, featuring an opt-out clause after the 2024 season.
Manaea, who spent the previous season with the Giants, delivered a noteworthy performance with 10 starts and 17 relief appearances, boasting a 4.44 ERA and a 3.05 K/BB ratio. Across his eight MLB seasons, Manaea maintains an ERA+ of 100.
Despite not securing a spot on the top-50 free agents list at the start of the offseason, Manaea emerges as a potential “pleasant surprise” for the Mets. Notably, he elevated his fastball’s velocity during the past season through dedicated training at Driveline. Additionally, Manaea introduced a sweeper-style slider in late May, gradually incorporating it as a pivotal element in his pitching repertoire. The transition from a fastball-changeup strategy to a fastball-slider approach, with the changeup as a supplementary offering, proved instrumental.
Analyzing his evolving pitch mix, Manaea’s performance underwent a significant positive shift. He transformed from a 5.49 ERA in the first half to an impressive 3.43 ERA in the second half. Notably, he struck out 25.7% of batters faced, surpassing the 22.7% league average and matching his career-best figures over a full season. Furthermore, Manaea achieved a new career best with a 36.4% hard-hit rate allowed, surpassing the 39.2% league average.
The Mets, under the guidance of new lead decision-maker David Stearns, are making a calculated wager on the sustainability of Manaea’s second-half performance. If his late-season prowess proves enduring, the Mets stand to benefit from a valuable addition to their rotation at a notably modest cost.