The New York Mets signed Sean Manaea to serve as a back-of-the-rotation lefty, which did not amount to a high risk. However, the veteran southpaw fought through adversity to start the beginnings of a recent revival that could alter the immediate future of the pitching staff. His fastball, dormant over the last few months, made a miraculous recovery, boosting the lefty’s effectiveness. Will Sammon of The Athletic detailed Manaea’s return to view.
“Manaea cares. He matters so much to a New York Mets clubhouse full of rookies and first-time New Yorkers. And it’s because he cares so much that Manaea has reemerged as a relevant piece to the Mets’ hopes of a turnaround. There’s no better explanation for a 34-year-old regaining 4 mph on his fastball in three months and averaging 92 mph with the pitch in his most recent outing. While all the drills and meetings are necessary parts of his story, they mean nothing without Manaea wanting to change.”
92 miles per hour may not feel like a noteworthy number. However, considering that the Mets watched a highly-paid player top out at 88mph, 92 deserves a celebration of its very own. That fastball, when spotted, will appear even faster, due to Manaea’s arm motion and pitch movement.
When Statcast and Advanced Metrics Start Benefitting You
For power pitchers and power hitters, Statcast, which measures distance and velocity, can be their best advocate. However, for those who are not blessed with outstanding gifts, Statcast becomes a determining factor in how many view players, especially pitchers. Yet, Manaea withstood the maelstrom and started to rebuild.
“Just one of the 457 pitches he threw from the start of the regular season to the midpoint of May registered above 92 mph: a 92.7 mph four-seam fastball on May 10. In an outing against the New York Yankees on May 17, however, he threw 14 pitches clocked faster than 92 mph. That was the beginning of his uptick. Of his 253 pitches since May 17, 46 of them (18.2 percent) were thrown 92 mph or higher.”
The Slow Rebirth
To this point, the Mets have slow-played Manaea, keeping an eye on his production and velocity while remaining mindful of his progress without pressing. Now, they’re seeing quite the rebound.
“Manaea, who has yet to start a game as a traditional starter this season, technically reentered the Mets’ rotation on Tuesday as a bulk pitcher. He held the Seattle Mariners to a solo home run over five innings. He is next scheduled to pitch against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. On Tuesday, his sinker and four-seam fastball averaged 91.9 mph and 91.8 mph, respectively, his highest readings since last season.”
Clay Holmes is out with a broken leg. Freddy Peralta could end up elsewhere via trade around the deadline. Nolan McLean is 2-2 in his last five starts, allowing six home runs and 18 earned runs while walking 13 in just 27 innings. As a result, the need for Manaea to stop the metaphorical slide for the Mets and provide staanebility becomes of utmost importance.
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