New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced that left-hander Sean Manaea will begin the season in the bullpen rather than the starting rotation. The Mets opted for a 5-man rotation featuring Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga, with Manaea serving in a piggyback role to relieve starters and log multiple innings.

The decision came after six pitchers performed well during spring training. Manaea, who signed a three-year, $75 million deal before last season, struggled through an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. He posted a 5.64 ERA over 15 games while dealing with elbow issues and missed the first 3½ months with a strained oblique.

Manaea arrived at spring training healthy but his fastball velocity has hovered in the upper 80s, continuing a decline from 93.8 mph in 2023 to 91.7 mph in 2025. Mendoza clarified that velocity wasn't a factor in the decision, and the team plans to reevaluate before a demanding stretch of nine games in nine days.