Carlos Mendoza Sounds Alarm on $75M Star as Mets Face Rotation Crisis Amid Playoff Push

The Mets’ offense has been making headlines at Citi Field, but pitching continues to raise concerns. Another night, another $75M arm, and another breakdown. The Mets might have won 10-8 over the Tigers, but if they want to make it through the playoff push, the pitching woes need to be resolved soon. And Carlos Mendoza has to look for answers soon.

If you’re thinking it’s Kodai Senga, then no, this time it’s Sean Manaea. He signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason, supposed to strengthen the rotation. However, looking at his outing against the Tigers, it’s the opposite of what was expected. He pitched for only 3.2 innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs while striking out six.

In the post-game with SNY, Mendoza didn’t sugarcoat when asked about Manaea’s latest struggle and the mounting rotation concerns. The manager stated, “They’re part of the rotation.” He continued, “Our job is to try and find a way to help them. And that’s what we’ll do, and then we’ll go from there.” “Right now, the biggest thing for Sean is he’s not elevating the fastball. He’s getting hit with it. And obviously not able to use the changeup and sweeper the way he wants to, but it starts with him elevating that fastball — what makes effective last year. And right now he’s having a hard time doing that. Our job, either it’s him, Senga, and all of those guys, is to continue to support him and try to find a way to help him. Obviously, they’re frustrated, and they know they’re better. It’s our job to help them.”

Manaea’s numbers tell a troubling story. After missing the start of the 2025 season due to injury, he has posted a 1-2 record with a 5.60 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 45 innings in nine starts. That’s a sharp decline from 2024, when Manaea recorded a 12-6 record with a 3.47 ERA and 184 strikeouts in 181.2 innings.

Manaea himself even sounds lost. “I don’t know, I have no idea. I feel like I’m doing all the right things, but just not working out right now.” The frustration Mendoza was talking about.

The Mets’ rotation issues go beyond Manaea, as Kodai Senga has also struggled. In his recent game against the Marlins, he couldn’t keep runners off the bases and gave up multiple runs, revealing ongoing control problems. Two pitchers expected to anchor the staff are now liabilities at a critical point in the season.

And Mendoza knows, “I think the discussion is, ‘How are we going to help these guys?,’ because they’ve been right there for us when we need them.” “Manaea was one of them. Senga was obviously down last year but at the beginning of the year. Our job is to continue to go back and look for ways to help these guys.”

If Manaea and Senga don’t regain their form soon, the Mets’ playoff hopes could vanish before they begin. Despite the pitching struggles, the offense in Queens has finally started to perform well.

While the rotation falters, the Mets’ lineup looks playoff-ready

The Mets’ offense is the only thing that has saved them from all the pitching problems. Juan Soto is in control, and he has finally gotten the kind of production that fans have been hoping for all season. In the game against the Tigers, he hit a 422-foot homer in the fourth inning that helped the Queens take the lead.

Beyond Soto hits, Luis Torrens also had a great game, with three hits and two RBIs that helped start early rallies. Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty both got important RBIs—Nimmo with a timely single and Baty with a clutch groundout—keeping the NYM offense going even when the pitching wasn’t great.

August was a historic month for the Mets’ bats, with franchise records of 53 home runs and 177 runs scored. The team posted a .285 batting average and .866 OPS, highlighting their blend of power and plate discipline.

As the Mets rely on stellar offense to compensate for pitching challenges, fans can remain optimistic if Manaea, Senga, and the rest of the rotation can find answers. With the offense carrying the load, New York looks poised to keep fighting in the playoff race.