The pitching-hungry Mets have needed Sean Manaea to stabilize the back of their rotation, and for the most part, he has done enough to keep them in games.
Expecting him to work deep into the game on Saturday against the Braves is a different ask.
Manaea gets another look at Atlanta after completing six innings against the Braves earlier this month, the only start of four he has reached that mark since rejoining the Mets’ rotation last month.
That outing was solid, but it should be viewed more as the ceiling than the expectation.
Manaea has been running up high pitch counts, and even when he avoids major damage, getting through a lineup three times has not been easy.
He lasted 5 ⅔ innings in his latest start against the Blue Jays, getting pulled after a two-out walk in the sixth inning and 90 total pitches.
In his prior outing, Manaea tossed a whopping 86 pitches over just three innings in a laborious outing versus the Cubs.
Those outings feel like the more realistic path again here.
The Braves have one of the best offenses in baseball, with enough power and patience to make Manaea work. They also already saw him recently, which should only make this assignment more difficult.
Manaea does not need to get hit hard for this bet to cash.
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He can be useful in a small dose and keep the Mets competitive while still falling short if Atlanta forces long at-bats and pushes him near the 90-pitch range before the sixth inning is over, as has become the norm for the southpaw.
The play: Sean Manaea Under 15.5 outs recorded (-122, Novig)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
