Mets’ Sean Manaea-Clay Holmes decision possible sign of postseason plan

The Mets are flip-flopping their piggybacking starters for Sunday’s game against the Nationals, a possible indication of their postseason plans. 

Sean Manaea will start the series finale with Clay Holmes slated to follow him out of the bullpen, a reversal of the previous time the veteran hurlers pitched as a tandem Tuesday against the Padres. 

Holmes, a closer in previous years, is more accustomed to a bullpen role with 307 relief appearances in his eight-year MLB career, including two All-Star appearances with the Yankees. 

The 32-year-old righty Holmes signed a three-year deal worth $38 million with the Mets in free agency to be a starter, and he has pitched a career-high 155 innings over 30 starts.

That represents 85 more than his previous career high of 70 with the Pirates and Yankees in 2021. 

Manaea mostly has served as a starter in his 10-year career, with only 32 relief appearances among his 240 games pitched.

The 33-year-old lefty was re-signed to a three-year deal worth $75 million after going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts for the Mets in 2024, but he was sidelined for the first half of this season with an oblique issue. 

“It helps when we’re making these decisions the fact that they’ve done it in the past,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said before the Mets’ 5-3, 11-inning loss to the Nationals at Citi Field. “Again, 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.” 

Holmes pitched four innings of two-run ball Tuesday against San Diego, and Manaea worked the final five, allowing one earned run in an 8-3 Mets victory. 

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Mendoza acknowledged the regular Nationals lineup featuring lefties James Wood, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and Luis García Jr. near the top was a factor in the switch. 

Asked if there is a similar plan for Sunday’s game, 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.