Just when things were looking up for the New York Mets‘ left-hander Sean Manaea, baseball reminded everyone how fickle the recovery process can be.
After being diagnosed with a strained right oblique in late February, Manaea had been making slow but steady progress, even beginning a throwing program in mid-March. But just as he was ramping up, something went wrong—again.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed that Manaea experienced discomfort as he increased his rehab workload, prompting the team to send him for another MRI. The results? Inflammation.
As a result, Manaea received a PRP injection and has now been shut down from throwing for at least two weeks, delaying his return even further.
The Domino Effect of a Setback
Originally, the Mets had hoped to have Manaea back in the rotation by late April or early May. That timeline now looks overly optimistic. With his current shutdown, he will need at least two additional weeks of rest before he can even think about resuming his throwing program.
Then comes the gradual buildup—a process that could push his return to late May or even early June.
This is a frustrating blow for the Mets, who were counting on Manaea’s presence to bolster their pitching depth. When healthy, he’s a force on the mound. Last season, he put up a solid 3.47 ERA while striking out 184 batters over 181.2 innings. Losing that kind of production, even for a month or two, stings.
Mets’ Rotation Holding On—For Now
The Mets aren’t in full-blown panic mode yet, but they’re walking a fine line. Right now, they still have five healthy starters, with Paul Blackburn expected to return soon. But another injury? That could spell trouble. Depth is a luxury in baseball—until it isn’t.
For now, the Mets will have to hope that Manaea’s recovery this time around goes smoothly. But if baseball has taught us anything, it’s that timelines can shift in an instant, and setbacks have a way of throwing even the best-laid plans into chaos.