Manaea's Setback Deepens Mets' Pitching Woes

The New York Mets' pitching rotation has suffered another blow, as left-hander Sean Manaea has experienced a setback in his recovery from a right oblique strain. Originally placed on the 15-day injured list, Manaea now faces an extended absence after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and being shut down for two weeks. This setback pushes his potential return to late May or early June, a significant delay for a pitcher the Mets signed to a three-year, $75 million deal. Manaea, who delivered a solid 2024 season with a 3.87 ERA in 32 starts, has yet to contribute to the Mets this year, having missed all of spring training and the initial days of the regular season.

Manaea's situation compounds the Mets' existing pitching challenges, with several other starters sidelined. Christian Scott is out for the year following Tommy John surgery, Frankie Montas is recovering from a lat strain, and Paul Blackburn is dealing with knee inflammation. The Mets are currently relying on a rotation of Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga. Should another injury occur, the team may turn to Justin Hagenman or prospects like Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell. A potential silver lining is the Mets' ability to move Manaea to the 60-day injured list, freeing up a 40-man roster spot. However, with two open spots already, the team has some flexibility before making any immediate roster decisions.