Sean Manaea’s challenging recovery from a spring-training oblique injury has taken a new twist as Mets manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that the left-hander will be sidelined for two to three days due to a loose body in his pitching elbow.
This is not expected to cause a major delay in his rehab; he is anticipated to pitch in a minor-league game next week and then make his season debut for the Mets.
“I don’t think it slows us down too much,” Stearns commented. “The current target is a rehab game next Tuesday or Wednesday. If all goes well, that will likely be his last one.”
“There’s a possibility of surgery in the offseason, but it’s not certain yet,” Stearns added. “Some pitchers can deal with loose bodies throughout their careers, while others need them removed.”
At 33, Manaea is in the first year of his three-year, $75 million contract, which retained him in New York after he emerged as the team’s ace in the latter part of the 2024 season, culminating in a trip to the NLCS.
Manaea initially hurt his oblique in late February and was expected to return by the end of April, but experienced a setback that delayed him another two weeks at the start of the season.
The Mets are in dire need of Manaea with their starting rotation depth significantly tested. Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill are sidelined for at least a month, while Frankie Montas is making his season debut against the Atlanta Braves after a lat injury.
Paul Blackburn and Griffin Canning have struggled recently, leaving Clay Holmes and David Peterson as the Mets’ only consistent starters.
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