MLB Rumors: Sean Manaea, Mets Agree to $28M Contract in Free Agency After Giants Exit

The New York Mets and pitcher Sean Manaea agreed to a two-year, $28 million contract Sunday.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the deal includes an opt-out after the 2024 season.

Manaea spent the 2023 season with the San Francisco Giants, serving as both a starter and a reliever. He went 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA and 1.24 WHIP while striking out 128 batters in 117.2 innings.

The move to the bullpen will almost certainly end in New York given the Mets' need for starting pitching help and Manaea's history as a starter. Manaea had pitched in relief just three times before last season in San Francisco. While the move helped him right ship after a rocky start to the 2023 campaign, Manaea was back in the rotation by the end of the year and had his best overall month in September.

The Mets are expected to endure another season fraught with growing pains this year after their nightmare 2023 campaign. Owner Steve Cohen's high-priced roster disappointed from the outset, leading to a midseason jettisoning of veterans and a 75-87 record. Cohen has taken a far more conservative approach with this offseason, with Manaea being the only player the Mets have signed to a deal of longer than one year.

Manaea will join Luis Severino among the starting pitchers the Mets signed this offseason. They are also the team's highest-paid acquisitions to this point, with outfielder Harrison Bader being the only other player to land eight figures in guarantees.

To contrast, the Mets signed seven players last offseason to contracts guaranteeing at least $10 million and four players to deals guaranteeing at least $75 million.