Mets’ Manaea-Holmes duo eyed as nod to postseason plan

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza signaled a shift in how the club may approach its pitching for the final days of the regular season, a move many observers view as a potential hint at postseason plans. Sean Manaea is slated to start Sunday’s series finale against the Washington Nationals, with Clay Holmes lined up to follow him out of the bullpen, a reversal of the piggyback arrangement the Mets used Tuesday against the San Diego Padres. Holmes has long been a reliever, with 307 relief appearances in eight MLB seasons and two All-Star selections with the Yankees. The Mets signed him to a three-year, $38 million contract to be a starter, and he has pitched a career-high 155 innings over 30 starts this season, a workload jump of 85 innings from his 2021 high. Manaea, a 33-year-old lefty who has mostly served as a starter in his 10-year career, had 32 relief appearances in that span. He re-signed with the Mets on a three-year, $75 million deal after a 12-6 season with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts in 2024, but he began this year sidelined by an oblique injury.

On Tuesday against San Diego, Holmes pitched four innings of two-run ball while Manaea worked the final five innings, allowing one earned run in an 8-3 Mets victory. Mendoza said the decision to use them as a tandem again depends on the matchup and what the game dictates. "It helps when we’ve done it in the past," the manager said. "They want to start, and we consider them starters. But this is where we are, given where we’re at. They’re all on board. They understand. But when it comes down to us making those decisions, they know what it takes to come out of the bullpen. It’s a completely different routine, but they’ve done it before, so that helps." Mendoza also noted the Nationals’ regular lineup featuring left-handed hitters at the top—James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and Luis García Jr.—was a factor in the plan. Asked if there is a similar plan for Sunday, Mendoza said, "I think it’s all going to depend on what the game will tell you, what kind of lineup we get, the way he’s throwing the ball, where the score is. There’s a lot that goes before we have to make those decisions in games, but he’s going to go and then we’ll see how we deploy Clay."

The Mets have been relying on three rookies recently in their rotation: Saturday’s starter Nolan McLean, plus Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong. All-Star lefty David Peterson has been tagged for a 10.90 ERA over his past four outings, while former ace Kodai Senga’s struggles have continued since he was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse. He will throw a session of live batting practice this week, but Mendoza has admitted that Senga is “not a definite” to make the postseason roster.

With the postseason on the line, the Mets have emphasized flexibility in a week when health and performance have forced rapid adjustments. The team has to balance preserving Manaea and Holmes’ workloads with the need to win games now; the roster decisions for October are still to be determined.

As the final weeks unfold, the Mets face a crossroads between short-term wins and longer-term postseason planning. Mendoza’s acknowledgement that the rotation may continue to mix veterans with young pitchers reflects the uncertainty and urgency of a club trying to lock in a playoff berth while also assessing which arms will be trusted in October. Manaea’s ability to smoothly transition into a longer relief role, and Holmes’ continued adaptation from closers’ duties to a hybrid assignment, are central questions as the Mets navigate a pivotal stretch.

The story surrounding the Mets’ pitching staff this season has been defined as much by injuries and improvisation as by talent. Manaea’s return from an oblique injury, Holmes’ transition to a possible starter-then-reliever pattern, and Senga’s uncertain postseason path all factor into the team’s late-season calculus. If the duo's Sunday arrangement proves workable, it could offer a blueprint for how the Mets intend to pace arms during a compressed playoff push, especially given the uncertain health of several rotation options and the presence of multiple rookies at the front of the rotation.

Ultimately, the Mets’ upcoming games against the Nationals will test this evolving strategy. The results could influence not only the immediate standings but also deeper postseason decisions, including how aggressively the club deploys Manaea and Holmes in October and which other pitchers might be slotted into critical roles as the calendar turns to postseason play.