Back to Queens – Manaea is a Met
NEW YORK — Left-handed-starter Sean Manaea and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan early Monday morning.
BREAKING: Left-hander Sean Manaea and the New York Mets are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The 32-year-old is running it back with the Mets.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 23, 2024
As reports of the deal’s details roll out, it’s evident Manaea truly wanted to return to the Mets as the contract supposedly includes a deferred chunk that’d significantly lower the “three-year” spread. The lefty is expected to receive equal payments of $23.25 million after a ten-year deferral, starting in 2035 [through 2044] – Knocking that figure to $51.25 million through 2027.
Ace Ace, Baby
Manaea stepped into the ace-role after Kodai Senga was shut down for 2024 after just one regular-season start. He struggled in the first half of the season, but after watching a start from Chris Sale, Manea made the decision to tweak his mechanics; Dropping his arm slot a drastic 11-degrees. He simply woke up one day and decided he wanted to pitch like the 2024 Cy Young Winner [Sale] – and did. Proving a successful adjustment, Manaea finished out 2024 having put up career-best stats; Going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts and was a key force behind the Mets making it to the National League Championship Series.
Sean Manaea vs. Chris Sale, Mechanics pic.twitter.com/lKDcUJP1Na
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 8, 2024
The 32-year-old pitcher previously expressed a desire to return for the 2025,
“Nobody else I’d do it with,” he told SNY at the conclusion of the Mets’ postseason run.
Sounds like unfinished business to me.
Somebody Grab the Eyeblack
Through the second half of the season, Manaea was an incredible force on the mound – but an even better addition to the vibe of the clubhouse. Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea, and Jesse Winker sweetly donned each others’ jersey numbers [written in eyeblack] across their faces through the Mets’ stint in October. We even got the famous rally-cap/eyeblack-combo meme from Manaea in Milwaukee for the Wild Card.
— We Gotta Believe (@GottaBelievePod) December 23, 2024
Do Not Sleep on Stearns
First Juan Soto, then Sean Manaea… I mean Lil Wayne and I told ya – A real G moves in silence like lasagna. Mets Media sees everything – those “Sleepy Stearns” tweets weren’t going to fly much longer. The irony in Passan dropping this absolute bomb while all the Stearns-Sleepers were snoozing hasn’t gone unnoticed. This is where you say, “Ya Gotta Believe,” Stearns and Cohen have shown you they’re looking to win.
Now it’s time to make Pete Alonso a Met for life.
