Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning during game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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As much as the quirky rallying symbols or Francisco Lindor’s MVP heroics, Sean Manaea deserves considerable credit as to why the New York Mets made it to the sixth game of the NLCS on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
The veteran southpaw, who failed to stick with the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, or San Francisco Giants — he got demoted to the bullpen last season — battled back to an MLB starting rotation after completely overhauling his mechanics. In Queens, he became an ace.
Following a July tweak that lowered his arm slot a la likely NL Cy Young Award winner, Chris Sale, he was one of the league’s best pitchers across the season’s final two months. From July 30 to Sept. 21 (11 starts), Manaea went 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 82 strikeouts compared to 16 walks in 72 innings pitched.
“I’m super proud of the work I’ve been able to put in with everyone here, on and off the field,” Manaea said after his team’s season ended on Sunday night. “And I’m just super proud of the year as a whole.”
For a pitcher who had not thrown more than 160 innings once in the previous four years, Manaea hurled a career-high 200 innings, including the postseason.
Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) walks to the dugout after being relieved in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In unknown territory regarding workload, Manaea simply ran out of gas in Game 6, allowing five runs on six hits in two-plus innings of work in the Mets’ 10-5 season-ending loss to a Dodgers team that saw him twice in one week.
Regardless, he became one of the poster boys of what the Mets were all about this year; a cast of characters and reclamation projects written off by old teams that experienced a resurgence with the Mets. And while it is an unceremonious end to a career year, Manaea did more than enough to prove that he should be a long-term option for the Mets’ rotation — something that he would certainly be open to as he owns the $13.5 million option in his contract next season.
“I love my time here. I love New York,” Manaea said. “I love the organization and all the people here, so I’d definitely love to be back.”
For more on Sean Manaea and the Mets, visit AMNY.com
