How do you solve a problem like Manaea?

[Centerfield]

One of the most troubling parts of the 2025 season is the inexplicable poor performance from Sean Manaea. For me, I assumed he wasn't healthy. But to hear the loose bodies weren't bothering him, and that he's contemplating not getting the surgery (which to me makes no sense, but that's another story) and that he just pitched badly is alarming. Here's a guy who was slotted to be either our 1 or 2, and he ended up unpitchable at the end of the season.

I don't know how to look up pitching metrics, but I'd be curious to see how his stuff compares to last year. Spin rate, swing and miss rate, etc. It certainly seemed like his velocity was down. Sean's not young. 33 years old. Maybe he just declined in one year?

I can't remember the last time the Mets had a guy slotted to be their 1/2, who ended up pitching so poorly you could no longer start him. And to add to the craziness, this not only happened with Manaea, but also Peterson and Senga. All three were projected to lead the rotation, all three cratered, and pitched the worst baseball of their lives. How is that possible?

I know Hefner is gone. And maybe that's part of the solution. But one of the things the Mets will have to figure out this offseason is why Manaea, Peterson, Senga, and to a lesser extent Helsley, Montas, and Garrett, pitched some of the worst baseball of their careers.

[Edgy MD]

Carlos Carrasco in 2023 might qualify, coming off a 15-7 season before just falling off the table the next year. He was meant to be #3, I guess, behind the double hammer of Scherzer and Verlander, but the latter didn't debut until May after injuring himself in the spring.

But that is the sad nature of pitching. Unlike with other athletes, who tend to fade as they age, pitching careers are more prone to just collapsing.

But yeah, with a team that finished just outside the money, even getting any productivity at all out of Manea would have made the difference. He probably led the team in the difference between his projected output and his actual performance.

[whippoorwill]

How do you catch a save and pin it down?

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I'm on Team The Loose Bodies Were Causing More Problems Than Were Being Told and hope it is being addressed this off season.

[Edgy MD]

That team must have an interesting t-shirt design.

[Lefty Specialist]

It was weird. He seemed to be trying to strike everyone out (75 K's in 60 innings). That seemed to work for him early in games but it also ran up his pitch counts and it seemed like he could never get out of the 4th inning without blowing up. Those 60 innings were in 15 starts, plus the odd bullpen appearance, so he was averaging less than 4 innings per start..

Loose bodies? I dunno. But if he's not on point next year Uncle Steve may have to look into eating some money.

[MFS62]

Sidle up to all the GMs and go,"Psst. Wanna' buy a damaged lefthander?"

Then, as soon as one answers positively, make a deal on the spot.

His 2024 ERA of 3.47 seems to be an outlier among his 2020-2025 3.90 and over 4 ERAs.

Sell while the other GM feels his pitching coach and/or medical staff can get him back on track.

I'm not sure he can return to the numbers of that one good year.

Make him someone else's problem

Later

[smg58]

His peripherals suggest things weren't nearly as bad as they look. His K/BB ratio of 6.25 was actually superb. But he had at .314 BABIP this year after a .245 BABIP last year, so luck was involved in both seasons. He also had a 19.4% HR/FB rate, which is way worse than normal and may not all be luck.

Personally, I wouldn't panic. He may not be as good as his 2024 made him look, and the Mets probably overpaid to bring him back, but as long as he's healthy he'll be a pretty good part of the rotation.