The New York Mets already won the offseason by getting Juan Soto to swap sides in the Big Apple. They've added a cherry on top with the re-signing of pitcher Sean Manaea.
In the dead of night on Monday, news broke from Jeff Passan and others that the 32-year-old and the Mets agreed on a three-year deal worth $75 million. That's equal to the deal the Rangers gave 34-year-old Nathan Eovaldi.
Manaea had a resurgent season with the Mets in 2024 after a couple of rough years in San Diego and San Francisco. In New York, he posted a 12-6 record with an ERA of 3.47. His WHIP of 1.084 was the lowest he's managed since 2019 with the A's.
Mets fans and media react to Sean Manaea re-signing
I am so incredibly happy right now. KEEP PLAYERS WHO WANT TO BE METS. KEEP PLAYERS WHO WANT TO BE IN NEW YORK. LETS FUCKING GO pic.twitter.com/9Kwo9aX00i
— Sam (@TreIindor20) December 23, 2024
Can’t wait for more of this with Sean Manaea back in a Mets Uniform…
— Subway To Shea Podcast (@SubwayToShea) December 23, 2024
LGM pic.twitter.com/rwWPFjtvwM
3 years is the perfect length for Manaea. AAV is perfectly fine. Add one more starter and I’ll feel great about what we have in this rotation. I’m so happy Sean is staying
— Sam (@TreIindor20) December 23, 2024
Manaea making his return is a major pull and a much needed boost to the rotation
— Kyle Gelling (@KyleGelling) December 23, 2024
After the mechanics switch this was a no brainer on both sides 👏 https://t.co/01RcTZMMzT
Wonderful news to wake up to. I was worried the Mets would lose Manaea because a team offered him four or five years. Getting him for three is perfect. In Stearns We Trust! https://t.co/TTajOO94Vh
— Michael Fliegelman (@MFliegelman) December 23, 2024
Even after this deal, the Mets are still ≈$90M below last year’s payroll. We had a shit ton of bad contracts come off the books.
— (((Ezra Sitt))) (@sitt_ezra) December 23, 2024
2024 Sean Manaea, July 30-Sept 21:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) December 23, 2024
11 starts
2.63 ERA
.155 Opp BA
.283 Opp SLG
Bringing Manaea always made sense given his performance at the end of the 2024 season. The tricky part was ironing out the details on a contract that would suit both the player and the ball club.
The going rate for pitchers at this stage makes Manaea's $25-million AAV seem perfectly reasonable. The only risk is him reverting back to the pitcher he was the two seasons before trading the west coast for the east. A three-year deal makes that risk more than fair.
A much more positive problem to have? Manaea getting even better and making the Mets regret only getting him for three years.
If they weren't going to bring back Manaea, then the Mets would have had to find another free agent to fill his place. They had Kodai Senga as the ace but no clear No. 2 behind him. That question has been answered.
The next thing on the docket is bringing back Pete Alonso. The All-Star first baseman has spent his whole career with the Mets but he's exploring the free agent market. We'll see if David Stearns can pull off another deal to keep the band together.