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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The New York Mets have announced that starting pitcher Sean Manaea will likely begin the season on the injured list due to a right oblique strain.
Manaea revealed on Monday that he has been contending with this issue since the onset of spring training.
“It didn’t really worsen; it just sort of plateaued,” Manaea explained. “The challenging part is that it hasn’t improved at all over the past few weeks.”
The left-handed pitcher, who was the Mets’ top starter last season and earned a three-year contract worth $75 million, shared that while he has been engaging in throwing and pitching activities, “recovery hasn’t been ideal during that time.” He had an MRI conducted over the weekend to assess the condition.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that Manaea will refrain from throwing until he shows no symptoms, which he estimates could take two to three weeks.
“The positive takeaway is that there are no tendon or rib cage issues involved; it’s strictly a muscle matter,” Mendoza noted. “He will be sidelined for a couple of weeks, after which we will reevaluate. We need to rebuild his stamina, so it is fair to assume he will start the season on the injured list.”
Additionally, Mendoza addressed the media regarding infielder Nick Madrigal, who sustained a fractured left shoulder during a spring training game the previous day.
Madrigal, 27, who is competing for a roster position, was playing shortstop on Sunday when he charged after a ground ball and threw to first base before collapsing onto the field. An MRI determined the injury severity, and further tests were conducted on Monday.
With Manaea now out of the rotation, the Mets find themselves missing two anticipated starters, as Frankie Montas is also sidelined due to a strained back injury.
Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million contract last December, was recently shut down for six to eight weeks, per the Mets’ announcement, which means he is not expected to return before May.
If Manaea’s recovery goes smoothly, he could potentially be back in action by April.
In the meantime, the Mets are left with a projected rotation featuring Kodai Senga, David Peterson, former All-Star closer Clay Holmes, Paul Blackburn, and Griffin Canning.
During his debut season with the Mets, Manaea recorded a solid performance, boasting a 12-6 record and a 3.47 ERA over 32 starts.
The three-year deal he secured followed his decision to decline a player option for 2025, which included the final $13.5 million of his previous $28 million, two-year contract with the Mets.
As a free agent for the third consecutive offseason, Manaea rejected the team’s qualifying offer worth $21.05 million.
Last season, he struck out 184 batters while allowing 63 walks over a career-high of 181 2/3 innings. In an effort to improve his performance, Manaea adjusted his arm slot midseason, drawing inspiration from Atlanta Braves’ NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale, making him the Mets’ most effective starter during the latter part of the season with a 6-2 record and a 3.09 ERA over his last 12 regular-season appearances.
In the postseason, Manaea achieved a 2-1 record and a 4.74 ERA with 19 strikeouts across four starts covering 19 innings, contributing to the Mets’ unexpected run to the National League Championship Series.
A seasoned veteran with nine years in Major League Baseball, Manaea holds a career record of 77-62 with a 4.00 ERA in 198 starts and 30 relief appearances across his time with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and the Mets. He is also remembered for pitching a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox while with the Athletics in April 2018.
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