The New York Mets have lost two of their top offseason pitching acquisitions in a matter of days.
Last week, the Mets shut down starter Frankie Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million contract, due to a high-grade lat strain. He will be shut down for the next six-to-eight weeks and then will take another six weeks to get back into pitching shape.
Montas most likely won’t be ready to return to the rotation until late May.
Now, the Mets have lost a second starter who won’t be ready for Opening Day.
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New York Mets starter Sean Manaea out with oblique strain
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, including The Athletic’s Will Sammon, that Sean Manaea, who signed a three-year, $75 million contract to return to Queens, will start the season on the injured list due to a right oblique strain.
“The Mets are viewing Manaea’s injury as relatively short term and expect him back sometime in April, sources briefed on the matter said. While that is the current timeline, oblique injuries are notoriously tricky,” Sammon reported.
Manaea became one of the Mets’ best starters in 2023 during their playoff run to the NLCS. In 32 starts, he struck out 184 in 181 2/3 innings, with a 1.084 WHIP, 3.47 ERA, 114 ERA+, and 3.83 FIP.
With Manaea now out, the Mets are down $109 million worth of starting pitchers. The rotation currently now consists of Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and offseason signing Clay Holmes. The Mets also have Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, and Paul Blackburn as depth.
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