Mets left-hander Sean Manaea's 2025 season debut in Sunday's 3-2 loss at the Kansas City Royals featured a strong start and unfortunate finish.
In his first outing of the year, making a return from the 60-day injured list after a late-March oblique strain initially sidelined him, he struck out seven — including five straight — while scattering five hits.
The relief outing, which followed starting right-hander Clay Holmes' five innings of two-run ball, saw Manaea toss a scoreless three frames before returning for the ninth after New York's game-tying rally.
"Obviously, it sucks, losing," said Manaea, who threw 44 strikes on 65 pitches in 3.1 IP. "You never want to do that. But for me, personally, it just feels good to be healthy, back on the mound. It's a very weird juxtaposition."
Manaea's ninth inning started by striking out Salvador Perez before back-to-back singles from Tyler Tolbert, who stole second base, and Nick Loftin lifted the Royals (47-50) past the Mets (55-42).
"Not only (was Manaea rolling into the ninth), we needed that fourth up for him and that was his last batter anyway because he was on a pitch count and he was 60, 65 and he got to 65 there," said manager Carlos Mendoza. "So, regardless of the outcome there — and the way he was throwing the ball, he was pretty, pretty dominant. Couple of singles there at the end, but I thought he was pretty good overall."
Manaea relieved Holmes (8-4, 3.31 ERA) to start the sixth inning and, after Bobby Witt Jr.'s leadoff single, retired the next six batters in a row. The stretch started on Vinnie Pasquantino's ground out to first base and followed with five straight strikeouts.
"Typical Sean Manaea," Mendoza said. "Fastball playing at the top of the zone, he's getting swings and misses, the sweeper was really good — we saw that the whole year, and it was good to see it today, attacking, throwing strikes and with those pitches are going, pitching from that slot, he's pretty effective and we saw it today."
The second half of the Mets' season starts Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY with New York's three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, and Manaea figures to be a factor as the stretch run begins.
"I felt great out there," Manaea said. "I feel like, if I can keep doing that, I'll have a successful second half."
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