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Sean Manaea's postseason renewal has put New York Mets on the brink

By Bill Felber |
Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea (59) reacts in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Sean Manaea needed this one real bad. The left-hander delivered seven strong innings in the Mets’ 7-2 Game 3 victory over the Phillies Tuesday at Citi Field. He allowed just three hits, struck out six and was only in any real trouble once.

It was typical of the way Manaea has pitched all year since more or less assuming the role of Mets  staff ace. During the regular season, he led the team in wins (12) and strikeouts (184), came one out shy of leading in workload, made a team-high 32 starts, and produced a neat 3.47 ERA.

It brought his nine-season cumulative record to 17 games above .500 with a credible 4.00 ERA and a 2018 no-hitter against Boston.  

But that regular season line has been entirely at odds with Manaea’s postseason history. Although a member – and often a key figure – of three previous postseason teams, Manaea’s October record has, until this year, consisted of one disaster after another.

Mets' Sean Manaea MLB Playoffs History

Roll back to October of 2019. The Oakland A’s, with 97 victories, landed a one-game Wild Card spot against the Tampa Bay Rays. Manaea, coming off five exceptional starts with a 1.21 ERA in his return from arm surgery, was manager Bob Melvin’s choice to make the start.

Things almost immediately blew up. The Rays pounded Manaea for four runs – with three home runs – in just two innings on the way to a 5-1 victory.

One postseason later, in the elongated 2020 playoffs, Oakland faced Houston in the Division Series round. This time, Melvin turned to Manaea after the Astros took a 10-5 Game 1 victory. Manaea survived into the fifth inning, but got hit for two more homers and four more runs.

With the Padres in 2022, Manaea sat out until Game 4 of the NLCS against Philadelphia. Summoned by Melvin -- who had also come over from Oakland -- to protect a 4-3 lead, he faced nine batters, allowed five runs including a Rhys Hoskins home run, and took the loss.

That critical pounding may have refocused Manaea. That winter he went to Driveline, the pitching mechanics factory, to figure out how to return to his early career form. According to the FOX broadcast during NLDS Game 3, the moment of zen in the lefty's hotel room in the immediate wake of that brutal loss in Philadelphia instantly refocused him. His 2023 season, 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA for the Giants, showed modest progress. And since the Giants did not make the 2023 postseason, Manaea was spared that acid test.

So, until this October, what you just read constituted the sum total of Manaea’s postseason experience: seven and two-thirds innings, 13 runs allowed, six home runs, and a brutal 15.19 ERA. That was nearly four times his career regular season ERA.

Tuesday's showing against the Phillies was Manaea’s second 2024 fling at rectifying that postseason statistical disaster. He started, but did not factor in the decision in the Mets' 5-3 Oct. 2 loss to Milwaukee in Game 2 of their Wild Card series. That day Manaea went five innings and allowed two earned runs, striking out four.

If the Mets are to go much farther, they need more of these kinds of performances from Manaea. On Tuesday, he looked like he was set up to deliver.

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