The New York Mets will open the season with a traditional five-man starting rotation, and left-hander Sean Manaea will begin the year in the bullpen in a planned piggyback role. Manager Carlos Mendoza outlined the approach on Saturday, confirming that the club will not use a six-man rotation or an opener strategy to start the regular season.
By opting for a five-man group, the Mets are signaling confidence in their primary starters while also prioritizing flexibility with their relief options. Manaea, who has extensive experience as a starter in the majors, will initially work out of the bullpen and is expected to handle multiple innings when called upon. The piggyback designation indicates that he could frequently follow a starter, especially in games where pitch counts or early-season workloads are a concern.
This arrangement allows the Mets to monitor innings for their rotation while still keeping a proven starter like Manaea stretched out. His presence in the bullpen gives Mendoza another left-handed option who can bridge the gap between the early innings and the back end of the relief corps. It also positions Manaea to step into the rotation later in the season if circumstances change, whether due to performance, injuries, or schedule demands.
Starting the year with Manaea in a long-relief and piggyback role reflects a broader trend across the league, where teams use early-season flexibility to manage pitching staffs carefully after spring training. By clearly defining Manaea’s job at the outset, the Mets aim to give both the rotation and bullpen stability while maintaining depth.
As the season progresses, the club’s pitching alignment could evolve, but for now, Mendoza’s decision sets a clear structure: five primary starters and Manaea as a key multi-inning option out of the bullpen, ready to support the rotation and provide coverage when starters exit earlier than planned.
