Another important member of the New York Mets’ starting rotation is now anticipated to miss opening day—and perhaps many weeks longer — a week after the team lost starting pitcher Frankie Montas, whom they signed to a two-year, $34 million free agency contract in the summer. In December, 33-year-old Sean Manaea, a nine-year veteran who threw 181 2/3 innings with a 3.47 ERA the previous season, re-signed a three-year, $75 million contract with the Mets.
However, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza declared Monday that Manaea is also no longer with the organization, as reported by SNY, the team’s cable television network. Manaea was found to have a strained oblique muscle, which usually takes seven weeks to heal completely. Thus, at least until the middle of April, the Mets will be without the anticipated top two players in their starting rotation.
The Mets are also depending on 32-year-old Japanese import Kodai Senga, who started only one game for the Mets in 2024 due to a string of ailments, and converted reliever Clay Holmes, who hasn’t started a Major League game since 2018 and has never reached 70 innings thrown.
It’s now predicted that the 2024 170-inning Mets starter will return.
The Mets will obviously need to add players to their starting lineup. They just need to look at one player from their 2024 rotation who pitched 170 1/3 innings with a respectable 3.75 ERA the previous season but was free to sign with any team without the Mets even making him a qualifying offer of the predetermined $21.05 million.
Nearly two weeks into spring training, Jose Quintana, a 36-year-old 13-year veteran whose lifetime ERA of 3.74 is nearly the same as what he delivered the Mets in 2024, is still one of 66 free agents who have not signed.
A reunion between the Mets and Quintana was proposed by amNY executive sports editor Joe Pantorno after Manaea’s injury was made public on Monday morning. He described it as “logical to bolster the already-tested depth of the Mets’ stable of starting pitchers.” For a club whose rotation seems to be on very precarious ground, placing a veteran of his ability toward the bottom of the rotation would indicate the existence of a stabilizing force, according to Pantorno.
Quintana Was Outstanding in the Early Postseason Rounds Since making his debut with the Chicago White Sox in 2012, Quintana has pitched for seven major league teams as of last year. After splitting 2022 between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates, he signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Mets as free agency.
He started one game each in the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, who won the NL East title, and the Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, which helped the Mets advance to the National League Championship Series in 2024. In seven games, the Arjona, Colombia native tossed 11 innings and allowed just one run (against the Phillies).
But in his lone start in the NLCS against the Dodgers, who would go on to win the World Series, Quintana crashed into the Los Angeles buzzsaw, giving up five runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
Although Quintana’s price may be less than what Spotrac has estimated, the sports business site has estimated his current market value at just under $16.6 million over a two-year contract. The Mets should consider this deal rather than merely hoping that injuries to the starting rotation won’t ruin a promising 2025 season.
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