Sean Manaea admits frustration after being bumped from NY Mets’ Opening Day rotation

Sean Manaea was the odd man out Saturday morning as the New York Mets finalized their Opening Day pitching plans, shifting the veteran left-hander to the bullpen.

“I consider myself a starter. To not be that is frustrating,” Manaea told SNY shortly after the announcement. “But at the end of the day, I’m going to let my pitching do the work in whatever capacity that is and go from there.”

With Freddy Peralta already tapped as the Opening Day starter against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and not expecting to reach extension ahead of 2026, Manaea will now serve as a long-relief insurance policy.

The Mets’ confirmed rotation features Peralta followed by David Peterson, breakout prospect Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, and a healthy Kodai Senga.

Velocity and Efficiency: Why Manaea was bumped

Despite Manaea’s significant contract, Mendoza and the coaching staff prioritized current effectiveness over salary.

While Manaea has averaged a modest 89 mph on his four-seamer this spring, his younger rotation mates have overwhelmed hitters; McLean is consistently sitting at 95 mph, while Senga has touched 98 mph. This disparity in “pure stuff” was the primary factor in Mendoza’s difficult roster crunch.

Statistical performance also played a role. While David Peterson struggled with a 5.63 ERA this spring, his underlying metrics and southpaw versatility earned him the No. 2 spot over Manaea, whose 4.50 ERA was marred by a lack of missed bats and a high hard-hit rate.

A temporary move?

The Mets’ front office has discussed transitioning to a six-man rotation as early as mid-April to manage the workloads of Senga and the rookie McLean during a grueling stretch of nine games in nine days.

This eventual shift provides a clear path for Manaea to rejoin the rotation. If he proves effective in his piggyback role over the next two weeks, the left-hander could secure a starting nod before the end of the month and showcase his value to a Mets team with World Series aspirations.