Manaea's Future In the Mets' Rotation
This weekend, Mendoza announced that Manaea will not start the season in the rotation. As it sits now, the starting five is comprised of:
RHP Freddy Peralta
LHP David Peterson
RHP Nolan McLean
RHP Clay Holmes
RHP Kodai Senga
Manaea will begin the season in a piggyback role in the bullpen. This is most likely not permanent and only through the first two rotation turns, but it should be noted that the Mets have some concern with how Manaea has performed this spring.
"I'm not concerned, as long as he keeps telling us that he's healthy," Mendoza said earlier in camp. "That's what he keeps telling us: 'I feel great.' Look, it might take a while for the velocity to come back. That's why he's tinkering with the cutter, the changeup is good, the sweeper."
"I feel healthy, I feel good. To me, I'm not concerned about anything." Manaea said after his outing against the Cardinals on March 12. He added that adrenaline will become a factor during regular-season games and might boost his velocity.
Mendoza did claim that Manaea will make starts for the 2026 Mets, but how many remains to be seen. At 34 years old, his margin for error has evaporated; without tangible improvements to his health and stuff, Manaea could become dead weight on an already-bloated payroll.
View full article