Left-hander Sean Manaea will reject the Mets’ one-year, qualifying offer for 2025, in a move that was widely expected.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez was first to report that Manaea will turn down the $21.05 million one-year deal ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
Manaea will now hit the open market, and will likely be seeking a deal in the four-year range. Because he is rejecting the QO, the Mets would receive draft compensation should Manaea sign with another club.
While the lefty’s overall numbers from 2024 with the Mets were solid (3.47 ERA with a 1.084 WHIP in 32 starts), he was terrific in the second half of the season after a tweak to his delivery saw him pitch to a 3.09 ERA over his final 12 regular season starts.
The 32-year-old Manaea was also excellent in the playoffs, pitching to a 2.65 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 17.0 innings during his first three playoff outings. He was hit hard in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Manaea certainly left enough of a strong impression that the Mets will be looking to bring him back.