Mets Retain Sean Manaea Despite Struggles Amid Wild-Card Race

The New York Mets are facing significant challenges as they approach the postseason, largely due to underperforming starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga. Despite Manaea's ongoing struggles, including allowing four or more earned runs in six of his last seven starts and a recent 9-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, manager Carlos Mendoza continues to rely on him in the starting rotation. Senga, after a promising start, was optioned to Triple-A due to poor performance, highlighting the Mets' difficulties in solidifying their pitching staff. The Mets' offense has also been lackluster, with prolonged scoring droughts and an inability to mount late-inning comebacks, contributing to their precarious standing in the postseason race. With a slim lead for the final wild-card spot and a road record of 31-42, the team’s strategy of persisting with struggling pitchers like Manaea is raising concerns about their postseason viability. Despite these issues, the Mets are counting on their current rotation and hope Manaea can rebound in upcoming starts to help secure a playoff berth.