Manaea Returns To Rotation As Mets Open Second Half

 

Sean Manaea throwing one by Elly De La Cruz in the first inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets opened the second half of the season on Friday night at Citi Field, and it also marked the long-awaited return to the starting rotation for Sean Manaea.

One of the stalwart pitchers for the Mets last season, Manaea made his return in Kansas City last Sunday, as he threw 3 1/3 innings, and allowed one run on five hits, while striking out seven, but he took the loss as the Mets fell, 3-2, to the Royals.

That was a bitter end to a first half which saw the Mets go 55-42, just one-half game behind Philadelphia for first place in the National League East and firmly in a playoff spot.

Those 55 wins were the third-most in Mets history at the All-Star break, behind only the 58 wins notched three years ago in 2022, and the 59 in 1986.

Manaea opened this start against Terry Francona's Cincinnati Reds, who entered this one with a record of 50-47, on fire. He struck out T.J. Friedl and Matt McLain swinging, and Elly De La Cruz looking.

In the bottom of the first, the Mets gave him an immediate lead, as Juan Soto crushed one into the bullpen in right field for a solo home run off Reds starter Nick Lodolo. This was Soto's 24th home run of the season, along with 57 RBI.

After Manaea worked around a pair of walks, while getting another strikeout, the Mets made it 2-0 in the bottom of the second when Brandon Nimmo led off with a single, stole second, and came in to score on a single from Jeff McNeil.

Manaea responded by pitching a scoreless third inning, in which he hit Friedl with a pitch with one out, and then struck out McLoin again and got De La Cruz to ground to shortstop.

Cincinnati got on the board in the top of the fourth, when Austin Hays led off by crushing one to about where Soto hit his home run, as his solo shot made it 2-1 Mets. 

Manaea retired the next three Reds in order, ending the frame with a strikeout of Tyler Stephenson.

That would be the end of the night for the left-hander, as he threw 69 pitches, including 42 strikes. He allowed just one run (earned) on one hit and two walks, while striking out six.

The Mets then handed it over to Alex Carrillo, and after he retired the first two in the bottom of the fifth, he then hit Friedl with a pitch before giving up a shot to McLain that just cleared the left field fence for a two-run home run to make it 3-2 Cincinnati.

Matt McClain greeting T.J. Friedl after crossing the plate on his go-ahead home run. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Reds kept it going against Carrillo in the sixth, as Hays led off the frame with a solo shot for his second home run of the night, giving him 10 on the season.

Spencer Steer then drew a walk, and he came in to score when Stephenson hit a two-run shot to left-center field, and just like that, it was 6-2 Reds.

Carrillo then walked Jose Trevino, and that was all for his night, as he allowed five runs (all earned) on three hits and two walks, with two strikeouts.

Brandon Waddell finished up the sixth, and he stayed on for the seventh, with opened with a double by McLain, and he came in to score on a De La Cruz single.

Then, in the eighth, Waddell had issues finding the plate after he got the first two outs. He hit Friedl with a pitch (his third HBP of the night from three different pitchers), then walked McLain and De La Cruz before walking Hays with the bases loaded to force in a run to make it 8-2 Cincinnati.

The Mets made it interesting in the ninth, as they got a pair of runs, and Francisco Lindor came up as the tying with two outs and the bases loaded, but Reds closer Emilio Pagan got him to pop out to second base to end it.

Cincinnati won 8-4 and improved to 51-47 on the season, and Saturday will be a big day for the Mets as they retire David Wright's number 5.

David Wright's 5 etched into the center field grass, as seen during batting practice. Photo by Jason Schott.