Mets agree to sign Sean Manaea to a two-year, $28 million contract

The deal includes an opt out after 2024

Long in need of additional help in the starting rotation, the Mets decided on a left-handed pitcher to help fill that void.

According to The New York Post, the Mets agreed to sign LHP Sean Manaea to a two-year, $28 million contract.

The deal includes an opt-out after the 2024 season.

Manaea, who will turn 32 in February 1, is coming off two very disappointing seasons with the Padres and Giants after a very good start to his career with the A’s.

Manaea was in and out of the rotation for the Giants last year although he finished his season with four starts in the San Francisco rotation and pitching to a 2.25 ERA in those games.

When picking apart his numbers, Manaea actually pitched very well in multiple roles for the Giants after May 17, posting a 3.44 ERA in 29 games, four of which were those starts at the end of the season. He allowed 35 earned runs, 26 walks and fanned 97 batters in 91 innings, suggesting he still has some swing-and-miss stuff left in the tank.

Manaea incorporated a sweeper into his repertoire last season and it was an effective pitch for him as he looked for answers to his diminished slider. His change-up also proved to be an effective secondary pitch as well.

His strikeout rate would suggest he has something the Mets or any club can work with and potentially extract something from, but Manaea wouldn’t be anymore than a back-end starter right now with a risk that underperformance could displace him from any starting rotation, given his most recent track record.

In his career with the A’s, Padres and Giants, Manaea has pitched to a 4.10 ERA in 196 games, 166 starts spanning 1002.2 innings with 925 strikeouts and 272 walks allowed. His best season came in 2018 when he went 12-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 27 starts spanning 160.2 IP.

The left-hander will join a rotation currently consisting of Kodai Senga, José Quintana, Luis Severino, and Adrian Houser.

With the rotation nearing completion, albeit with a staff that still lacks a true ace, the Mets can now turn their attention towards reconstructing their bullpen. While Edwin Díaz will anchor that unit as their closer and Brooks Raley will serve in a setup role from the left side, the rest of the bullpen lacks in both quality and quantity at the major league level.

In addition, the Mets still need an answer to their equation at third base which lacks veteran insurance behind both Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. Also, the Mets need to shore up their middle-of-the-order power in a designated hitter, that which will offer adequate protection for Pete Alonso and/or Francisco Lindor.