By no means was it easy, but Sean Manaea’s late-season resurgence continues to provide a small consolation to the Mets’ lost season.
The veteran southpaw went six innings for a third-straight start on Tuesday night in Cleveland, limiting the Guardians to two runs despite yielding seven hits and five walks while striking out seven in the Mets’ 6-2 win.
The escape acts began instantaneously. Manaea loaded the bases with none out in the first inning, then proceeded to strike out Rhys Hoskins and Angel Martinez swinging on 95 mph fastballs — a number that many suspected the lefty would never see again after he struggled to regain his velocity this season. For more than half the year, his fastball sat in the high 80s, low 90s.
“Just let go. Let the fastball fly. Just attack them,” Manaea said. “I was trying to be a little too cute sometimes, but when I’m throwing hard like that, it’s more just throwing the ball and seeing what happens.”
With a 4-0 lead in the third, he allowed just one run despite letting the first two men of the frame on. He also got help from his defense, particularly in the second, when right fielder Carson Benge gunned down Brayan Rocchio, who was attempting to advance from first to third on a Steven Kwan single.
“Really gritty today. Found trouble almost every inning,” interim manager Andy Green said. “That first was huge for us to find a way out of that inning without giving up a run. That team doesn’t strike out much at all. To get a couple of huge punchouts, I think he was up to 95 on the board, his stuff was coming out real well.”
Manaea has been a serviceable mid-rotation starter since his return from the bullpen. He has a 3.79 ERA over 10 starts dating back to June 13. In his last three starts, his ERA is sitting at a pretty 2.50.
The chances are only going to keep coming this season. After the Mets traded David Peterson, Clay Holmes, and Freddy Peralta before the trade deadline, Manaea is the veteran presence in a group of youngsters featuring Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton. Considering he is signed through the 2027 season, it would be handy for David Stearns to know where his veteran southpaw stands before having to address the litany of other holes that this roster now has.
Senga gets the 9th
The Mets dismantled their bullpen at the trade deadline, parting ways with AJ Minter, Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver, and Huascar Brazoban. While Stearns called up a number of bullpen options, including Dedniel Nunez and Nate Lavendar — the latter providing a massive boost during Tuesday night’s win to keep Cleveland at bay — starting pitcher Kodai Senga is getting an audition as a late-inning reliever.
The veteran right-hander got the ninth inning in a four-run game to see the Guardians out, and emerged unscathed, allowing just a walk while coaxing a groundout from Kwan, a lineout by Chase DeLauter, and a flyout by Nathaniel Lowe.
“He did a great job,” Green said. “He went after hitters. It’s fun to get him into that role. There’s a long list of pitchers who started for a long time and then went into the pen and eventually dominated. We believe he has that kind of stuff to do that. We thought he was really good.”
New York’s interim skipper said earlier on Tuesday that his stuff profiles as a shutdown, late-inning reliever.
“His right arm has 100 mph and a nasty forkball,” Green said.
Perhaps this provides an opportunity for the struggling Senga to stabilize. Prior to Tuesday’s scoreless outing, he had allowed 43 earned runs in 44.2 innings pitched (8.66 ERA). His only other scoreless appearance this season came on July 10 against the Red Sox when he hurled a scoreless eighth inning.
Even before the deadline, the weakest part of an otherwise strong bullpen was the closer’s spot. Devin Williams has failed to shake off his disastrous 2025 campaign with the Yankees. Senga potentially gives the Mets another option, at least through the end of this year.
“That type of situation is easier to prepare for,” Senga said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and to be able to pitch in situations like that. At the same time, I made sure to tell the team that I signed as a starter and starting is something I would like to do, but I also understand that my results, my stats, don’t show that. I don’t necessarily deserve a starting pitching rotation spot. Whatever position I’m put in, whatever role I’m given, I’m happy to do so and will continue to do my best here.”
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