NY Mets set an important precedent with Sean Manaea bumped from rotation

The most exhaustive thing for a sports fan is for a team to forcefeed a philosophy or player down our throats even when it’s not working. The New York Mets haven’t been overly guilty of this. To start the 2026 season, they’re at least willing to try to change things.

Their most expensive starting pitcher has been moved to the bullpen. Sean Manaea, with another $50 million owed to him over the next two seasons, will be in a piggyback role to begin 2026. Rightfully unhappy, he’s taking it the best way he can.

The idea of a six-man rotation for the Mets remains alive with the opening to the season allowing some room for experimentation. Manaea’s lack of velocity, 2025 performance, and success in limited chances in a piggyback role all fit together nicely to make him the man on the outside. Few will argue this is the wrong choice. Most important of all, the Mets set an important precedent for the coming year.

It doesn’t matter how much money you make, the Mets are going to put themselves in the best position possible to win

Other teams and probably the previous ownership regime would have kept Manaea in the rotation because of his salary. On a team where the second-highest paid starting pitcher isn’t even with the team, Frankie Montas, the Mets are smartly viewing players on their ability and not the heftiness of their paychecks.

There aren’t too many other Mets players in the same position as Manaea to see themselves demoted despite a large paycheck. Luis Robert Jr. is probably the one with the greatest chance because of his history of underperforming. Marcus Semien’s three years of control might grant him a slightly longer leash.

Financial stakes won’t have much of an impact on bullpen roles. The Mets removed Edwin Diaz from the closer role temporarily in 2024 when he wasn’t pitching well. Devin Williams isn’t making significantly more than Luke Weaver or A.J. Minter who’d be next in line to close.

The real test for the Mets will come when a player like Mark Vientos no longer provides them with any sort of purpose. Still earning league minimum, the question with him is whether or not they move on from him entirely.

David Stearns has had a quick hook on multiple players, but never someone as expensive as Manaea. Omar Narvaez in 2024 was the most expensive player released where an injury wasn’t a factor. Montas’ release had more to do with the Tommy John surgery that’ll keep him out of action for all of 2026.

We’re still a long way from getting to the point of Manaea ending up on the waiver wire or dumped in a trade. The piggyback idea is actually a clever plan with durability questions with players like Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes in his second year as a starter. Minus Minter to begin the year, Manaea might even be useful as less of a multi-inning reliever and more as a thumper for some high-leverage spots.

The Mets would have to consider themselves lucky to get through a full season where Manaea loiters in the bullpen and never starts a game. Inevitable injuries or poor performance from others should have him shifting between roles at times. Unorthodox in many ways, it’s very much in the best interest of the team. This should be the theme throughout the 2026 season. What’s best for the win column should help determine every decision.