Overview
- Manaea delivered a five-inning outing in Seattle that allowed one run on a solo homer while striking out four and walking one, a performance that strengthened his case for a rotation spot.
- The left-hander began the season in mop-up and bulk relief after struggling with velocity in spring training and early games but has shown steady improvement in recent appearances.
- Team and coaching work explain the change: Manaea increased average fastball speed to roughly 91.8–91.9 mph with a 93.8 mph peak and altered his pitch usage after focused drills and long toss with pitching coach Justin Willard.
- Analytic markers backed the game report, showing far less hard contact in the latest start and better recent underlying numbers compared with his early-season stretch, though the club calls the plan performance-driven and fluid.
- The Mets moved David Peterson to the bullpen on May 29, creating a rotation opening that Manaea's recent run could fill and that may stabilize the back end if he sustains this form, with the team using his 2024 season as the performance benchmark.