Sean Manaea opts out of Mets contract, declining $13.5M option
Sean Manaea #59 of the Mets looks on after Game 5 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The most inevitable news of the Mets’ offseason arrived Saturday: Sean Manaea opted out of his contract and became a free agent.
Manaea’s two-year, $28 million deal — the largest awarded by the Mets last offseason — included a specific provision that allowed him to pass on the second year (and $13.5 million salary) if he wanted.
Over the course of the summer, as Manaea emerged as the Mets’ most reliable starting pitcher during the best season of his career, that decision became an easy one. Back on the open market, Manaea is a virtual lock to receive a larger financial guarantee from some team than he had with the Mets for 2025.
Manaea, who will be 33 next season, had a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 32 starts. It was his first full season as a starting pitcher since 2021.
The Mets are likely to extend a qualifying offer, which is a one-year, $21.05 million contract. If Manaea were to decline that and sign with another club, the Mets would get an extra draft pick in 2025 as compensation.
Manaea opting out makes 13 Mets major-league free agents, a group that includes now-former rotationmates Luis Severino and Jose Quintana. The others are Pete Alonso, Harrison Bader, Shintaro Fujinami, Jose Iglesias, J.D. Martinez, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Drew Smith, Ryne Stanek and Jesse Winker.
As of Saturday evening, the Mets had not announced a decision on the 2025 option they hold for reliever Phil Maton. They can exercise that option, which would guarantee him $7.75 million next season, or pay him a $250,000 buyout.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
