In baseball, as in life, storms don’t always signal the end—sometimes, they clear the way for something better.
For the New York Mets, this storm came early.
Three key pitchers—Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, and Paul Blackburn—were wiped from the Opening Day blueprint, sending a shudder through a fanbase starved for consistency.
But somehow, amid the chaos, the Mets’ rotation didn’t just survive—it evolved.
Now, like a long-lost friend rejoining the campfire, Manaea has finally returned to the mound in a competitive environment in High-A, even if the first flicker didn’t shine as brightly.
Sean Manaea’s rehab outing for Brooklyn is complete.
Final line: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 36 pitches (26 strikes)
He also hit a batter and 2 fielding errors were made behind him pic.twitter.com/mkpYKavdFp
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 6, 2025
Manaea’s return marks a symbolic step forward
Friday night in Brooklyn wasn’t about the box score. Sean Manaea’s final line—1.2 innings, four hits, four runs (three earned), no walks, and two strikeouts—won’t hang in any Hall of Fame.
It wasn’t meant to. This was his first competitive pitch since suffering a nasty oblique strain in late February. That injury, coupled with an early April setback, forced him to reset everything.
The Mets set a simple goal: two innings or 35 pitches. He made it to 36, with 26 landing as strikes, a small but notable silver lining.
There were defensive miscues— two fielding errors behind him—that made things appear worse than they were. The important thing? He walked off healthy.
Rotation keeps rolling without all its horses
If this rotation were a symphony, half its instruments were missing to start the season. Yet somehow, the music never stopped.
Paul Blackburn recently returned and looked sharp against the Dodgers, hurling five scoreless innings and reclaiming his spot like he never left.
Montas, meanwhile, is already back on the mound for rehab starts, inching closer to his Queens comeback.
That leaves Manaea as the final piece of the puzzle, and while his first outing wasn’t perfect, it signals progress. The Mets’ approach? Patience and perspective.
No one expects Manaea to leap from rehab to dominance overnight. The plan is for him to make multiple minor league starts before rejoining the MLB squad.
Mets’ belief in Manaea stems from his 2024 value
This isn’t a pitcher fighting for relevance. Last season, Sean Manaea carved a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts, showing an ability to both eat innings and miss bats.
His mix of veteran savvy and left-handed unpredictability makes him a crucial complement to the righties already delivering in the rotation, and for his fellow lefties.
The Mets know what they have in Manaea when he’s right. This is less about recovery and more about rediscovery. Once he’s physically ready, the mental and mechanical parts should follow.
Staying afloat becomes a launching pad
What’s truly remarkable about this Mets rotation isn’t who’s out—it’s how they’ve responded. Unheralded arms have stepped up, filling voids that looked cavernous in March.
Depth pieces like Griffin Canning, Blackburn, and Tylor Megill are becoming cornerstones, and every returning starter adds another sturdy brick to the foundation.
Think of it like a relay race. Blackburn just handed the baton. Montas is rounding the bend. Manaea is stretching out in the on-deck circle.
There’s no panic. No rush. Just a collective understanding that when fully armed, this staff could be among the most complete in baseball. It’s already among the best.
As Manaea works his way back, the Mets can finally start to imagine a rotation that looks how it was drawn in February—only now, it comes with battle scars and a tougher edge.
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