Left-hander Sean Manaea has signed two-year offers with opt-out provisions in every of the previous two offseasons and is poised to reenter the marketplace for a 3rd straight winter. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that Manaea will decide out of the second 12 months and $13.5MM on his deal “barring unexpected circumstances.” The lefty himself spoke to Nightengale about his latest pair of short-term offers, noting that he’d actually contemplate a longer-term pact however not like many different gamers doesn’t thoughts the short-term, opt-out-laden route.
“I wish to assume it’s enjoyable as a result of it’s a brand new journey,” Manaea instructed Nightengale. “I imply, it’s a bit of nerve-wracking while you’re not with a workforce many of the offseason, nevertheless it’s all a part of the journey.”
Manaea, 33 in February, is within the midst of one in all his greatest seasons. He’s began 27 video games and pitched 150 1/3 frames with the Mets, working to a pointy 3.35 ERA with a 25% strikeout fee and eight.8% stroll fee. After favoring his four-seamer over the previous two seasons with the Padres and Giants, Manaea has returned to the sinker he sported with the Athletics as his major providing, throwing the pitch 40.8% of the time. He’s maintained the elevated utilization of his slider (26%) on the expense of his changeup (11.7%) — whereas nonetheless throwing occasional four-seamers and cutters.
The brand new pitch mix has confirmed largely efficient. Manaea is averaging 5 2/3 innings per outing, sitting on what’s practically a career-high strikeout fee and solely issuing walks at a barely above-average clip. He’s saved the ball within the yard (0.96 HR/9) and accomplished a good job avoiding laborious contact (88.8 mph common exit velocity, 38.2% hard-hit fee). He’s not drawing tons of chases off the plate (27%), however his opponents are making contact on these swings on the second-lowest fee of Manaea’s profession (53.4%).
Manaea has lengthy appeared able to placing collectively one of these season. He often posts better-than-average stroll charges and common or higher strikeout charges. He was within the consideration to go within the high 10 picks of the 2013 draft however slipped to the No. 34 decide by the Royals as a result of a hip harm. That was the primary of some notable harm eventualities for Manaea, who most notably missed practically all the 2019 season after present process shoulder surgical procedure late within the 2018 marketing campaign.
Since that surgery-ruined season, Manaea has been a sturdy supply of innings. He began a virtually full slate of 11 video games within the shortened 2020 season and has since appeared in 32, 30, 37 and 27 video games per season. The Giants continuously used him as a multi-inning reliever and bulk pitcher behind openers in 2023, therefore that 12 months’s 27 aid outings, however he nonetheless pitched 117 2/3 frames that 12 months. Manaea hasn’t been on the injured checklist since coming back from that 2018 shoulder process.
Given how nicely he’s pitched for a lot of the season, it’s hardly stunning that Manaea is intent on as soon as once more exploring free company. A assured multi-year deal ought to be there this time round, until Manaea has come to benefit from the mercenary life and having say over his workforce on a yearly foundation. As a result of he’ll he heading into his age-33 season, a four-year deal is probably going the ceiling, and three years appears extra cheap to count on. Even when Manaea “solely” secures a two-year assure, he’d virtually actually accomplish that whereas signing for an annual worth greater than the $13.5MM underneath his present contract.
The extra attention-grabbing query surrounding Manaea shall be one of many qualifying provide. The Mets can prolong a QO to Manaea if he declines his participant choice, thus entitling themselves to a compensatory draft decide if Manaea indicators elsewhere. They’d should be snug paying Manaea the projected $21.2MM sum of this 12 months’s QO, nonetheless.
On its floor, that’s a drop within the bucket for a deep-pocketed membership just like the Mets. However the Mets have paid the luxurious tax each season underneath Steve Cohen’s possession, falling into the highest tier of penalty prior to now two seasons. RosterResource projects them for a $171MM determine subsequent 12 months that’s nicely under the forthcoming $241MM tax barrier, however the Mets may see Manaea, Pete Alonso, Luis Severino, Jose Quintana, J.D. Martinez, Adam Ottavino, Harrison Bader, Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley, Phil Maton and Jesse Winker all hit free company. They’ll have many, many holes to fill and it received’t take a lot to push them proper again up into luxurious territory.
If the Mets return to the highest tier of penalization — they’re already rumored to be amongst Juan Soto’s suitors and can presumably pursue different high-end targets, notably within the rotation — that may imply a 110% tax on that wage. That’d be a complete of $44.52MM if Manaea accepts. Even when they’re in a decrease tier, a 62% tax or 95% tax would nonetheless put Manaea’s whole expenditure on a QO within the $34-41MM vary. And, as a luxury-paying workforce, the Mets would solely obtain a comp decide after the fourth spherical within the occasion that Manaea signed elsewhere. That minimal compensation and large tax invoice would possibly permit Manaea to hit the market with out the burden of draft compensation, which might solely additional strengthen his free-agent case on the heels of a robust season.
