Wikipedia

Sean Manaea

Sean Anthony Manaea (/məˈnaɪə/ mə-NY-ə;[1] born February 1, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets. He played college baseball at Indiana State University.

Sean Manaea
Manaea with the Mets in 2024
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1992-02-01) February 1, 1992 (age 32)
Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
MLB debut
April 29, 2016, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record77–62
Earned run average4.00
Strikeouts1,109
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

While attending Indiana State, Manaea was named the best prospect in the Cape Cod Baseball League in 2012. The Kansas City Royals selected Manaea with the 34th pick in the 2013 MLB draft, and traded him to the Athletics during the 2015 season. He debuted in MLB in 2016, and pitched a no-hitter on April 21, 2018. Oakland traded Manaea to the Padres before the 2022 season, and he signed with the Giants for the 2023 season. After opting out of his contract and becoming a free agent, Manaea signed with the Mets for the 2024 season.

Amateur career

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Manaea was raised in Wanatah, Indiana, population 1,000.[2][3] He attended South Central Junior-Senior High School in Union Mills, Indiana, for his first three years of high school.[1] After his junior year, he competed in the first All-Indiana Crossroads Showcase Series.[4] Manaea transferred to Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana. Playing for the baseball team at Andrean, Manaea was part of the state champions in 2010, his senior year.[5] He threw a fastball between 82–85 miles per hour (132–137 km/h).[6]

Not selected in the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft out of high school,[7] Manaea enrolled at Indiana State University (ISU), where he played college baseball for the Indiana State Sycamores baseball team, competing in the Missouri Valley Conference of NCAA's Division I. After his freshman year at ISU, Manaea played collegiate summer baseball for the Dubois County Bombers of the Prospect League.[8] Manaea was 5–3 with a 3.34 ERA and recorded 115 strikeouts (13th in the nation) in 105 innings pitched for the Sycamores as a sophomore.[9][10]

Following his sophomore year at Indiana State, he competed for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he went 5–1 with a 1.22 earned run average (ERA) and a league-leading 85 strikeouts (setting the modern record for a single summer) in 51+2⁄3 innings pitched, and won the league's Outstanding Prospect Award, and was named the B.F.C Whitehouse Top Pitcher, Summer National Player of the Year by Perfect Game USA, and the Cape Cod League's top prospect by Baseball America.[10][1][5][11][12][13] In 2013, Manaea was named a Preseason All-American[14] and added to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List.[15] He compiled a 5–4 record, a 1.47 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 73+1⁄3 innings, ranking fourth in the nation in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (11.4), while leading the league with 5 balks.[16][9][17] By the end of his collegiate career, his fastball reached as high as 97 miles per hour (156 km/h).[6]

Professional career

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Kansas City Royals

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Considered a top prospect in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft,[1][5] Manaea was scouted by the Houston Astros, who had the first overall pick.[18] However, he had a hip injury that he pitched through during his junior year at Indiana State. Misdiagnosed as a hip impingement that he could play through as it healed, Manaea pitched through pain and saw his velocity decrease.[9] He was not selected until the Kansas City Royals took him with the 34th pick of the draft.[19] The Royals signed Manaea to a $3.55 million signing bonus, above the recommended value for the 34th pick of $1,623,000.[17] He had surgery to repair a torn acetabular labrum in his hip and missed the remainder of the 2013 season.[9][20]

Healthy in time for spring training in 2014, the Royals assigned Manaea to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League, with the plan to limit him to 150 innings pitched for the 2014 season.[9] Manaea had a 7–8 record with a 3.11 ERA in 25 games started, leading the Carolina League with 146 strikeouts in 121+2⁄3 innings (10.8 strikeouts per 9 innings).[21][22] He was named an MiLB Organization 2014 All Star.[23]

He missed the beginning of the 2015 season with abdominal and groin injuries. After making four starts for Wilmington, Manaea received a promotion to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Class AA Texas League in July, for whom he pitched seven innings.[24]

Oakland Athletics

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Manaea with the Athletics in 2016

The Royals traded Manaea and Aaron Brooks to the Oakland Athletics on July 28, 2015, in exchange for Ben Zobrist.[25] The Athletics assigned him to the Midland RockHounds of the Texas League.[26] With Midland, Manaea made seven starts, and had a 1.90 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 42+2⁄3 innings pitched.[27] He was named an MiLB Organization 2015 All Star.[23] Pitching for the Mesa Solar Sox in 2015, he was named an AFL Rising Star and to the AFL All-Prospect Team.[23]

He began the 2016 season with the Nashville Sounds of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.[28]

 
Manaea and Jonathan Lucroy celebrating Manaea's no hitter on April 21, 2018

After he made three starts for Nashville, with whom he was 2–0 with a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings with 21 strikeouts, the Athletics promoted Manaea to the major leagues to make his debut on April 29.[29][30] In his rookie season in 2016, Manaea pitched to a 7–9 win–loss record and a 3.86 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) covering 144+2⁄3 innings.[31] Manaea was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a left shoulder strain on April 30, 2017.[32][33]

Manaea completed his 16th consecutive outing in which he pitched at least two innings allowing no more than five hits on June 5. Manaea surpassed Tom Gordon's streak of 15 games (June 24 – September 2, 1992), becoming the longest such streak by an American League (AL) pitcher since 1913.[34] In 16 starts prior to the All-Star break, Manaea had a 3.76 ERA.[35] He struggled with weight loss during the season due to changing dosage of an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder medication he was prescribed in the spring, going from 255 to 230 pounds (116 to 104 kg). He ended the 2017 season with a 12–10 record and a 4.37 ERA in 29 starts covering 158+2⁄3 innings.[36][33]

On April 21, 2018, Manaea no-hit the Boston Red Sox 3–0 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, becoming the first Athletics pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Dallas Braden's perfect game in 2010. He struck out 10 and walked two.[37][38] With a .894 winning percentage, the Red Sox had the best record, at the time, of any team to be no-hit in baseball history.[39] Manaea and Manny Machado were named the AL's Co-Players of the Week for the week ending April 22.[40] In his next start against the Houston Astros on April 27, Manaea pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out seven as the A's won 8–1.[41] In August, Manaea went on the disabled list due to an impingement in his left shoulder.[42] On September 11, he was ruled out for the rest of the season due to arthroscopic surgery to repair the impingement.[43] He ended the 2018 season with a 12–9 record in 27 starts covering 160+2⁄3 innings in which he averaged 7.9 hits and 1.8 walks per 9 innings, with a 1.077 WHIP, and his 9 wild pitches were 10th in the AL.[33] He tied for the major league lead in bunt hits given up, with six.[44]

Manaea began the 2019 season rehabilitating his shoulder, aiming to return to the Athletics at midseason.[45] He made his season debut in September. In five starts, he was 4–0 with 30 strikeouts in 29+2⁄3 innings.[33] Earning the start in the 2019 AL Wild Card Game against the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed four runs on four hits, including three home runs, despite striking out five, leading to his exit after two-plus innings in an eventual 5–1 Oakland loss.[46]

In 2020, Manaea and the Athletics agreed to a $3.75 million salary.[47] He finished the pandemic-shortened season with a record of 4–3 and a 4.50 ERA in 11 starts covering 54 innings.[33] As Oakland advanced in the playoffs, Manaea pitched against the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the 2020 American League Division Series. He took the loss as he allowed four runs in 4+1⁄3 innings.[48]

Manaea and the Athletics agreed on a $5.95 million salary for the 2021 season.[49] He led the AL with 32 starts and two shutouts for the Athletics in 2021, and went 11–10 with a 3.91 ERA (10th in the AL) with 194 strikeouts (8th) in 179+2⁄3 innings (8th), with 4.732 strikeouts/walk (4th), 2.058 walks per 9 innings (6th), 9.736 strikeouts per 9 innings (7th), 8.983 hits per 9 innings (9th), 1.255 home runs/9 innings (9th), and a 1.227 WHIP (10th).[33] On March 22, 2022, Manaea signed a $9.75 million contract with Oakland, avoiding salary arbitration.[50]

San Diego Padres

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On April 3, 2022, the Athletics traded Manaea and Aaron Holiday to the San Diego Padres for Adrián Martínez and Euribiel Angeles. In 2022 with San Diego he was 8–9 with a 4.96 ERA in 30 games (28 starts) in which he pitched 158 innings and struck out 156 batters.[29]

Manaea became a free agent following the conclusion of the 2022 season.[51][52][53]

San Francisco Giants

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On December 16, 2022, Manaea signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the San Francisco Giants.[54] On November 5, 2023, Manaea opted out of the second year of his contract and became a free agent.[55]

New York Mets

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On January 12, 2024, Manaea signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the New York Mets including an opt out after the 2024 season.[56] In 2024, he made 32 starts for the Mets, registering a 12–6 record and a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts across 1812⁄3 innings pitched, setting a new career-high.[57]

Manaea earned the first postseason win of his career on October 8, pitching seven innings of one-run ball against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Citi Field.[58]

On November 2, Manaea opted out of his contract with the Mets and became a free agent.[59] The Mets offered him a qualifying offer two days later, which he declined it on November 19.[60]

Personal life

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Manaea's father, Faaloloi, was born in Papa Sataua, Samoa, American Samoa,[61] moved to Hawaii, served in the Vietnam War, and was then stationed in Indiana, where he settled and worked for the Inland Steel Company following his military service.[62][1] His mother, Opal, is a factory worker.[3] Manaea's older half-brother from his father's first marriage, David, died in January 2024 from cancer. Manaea took David's age at his death, 59, as his number with the Mets.[62][63] His other older brother, Dane, is in the United States Navy.[64]

Growing up in Indiana, Manaea was isolated from his father's Samoan culture.[65] Manaea first visited American Samoa in 2014. There, he began his sleeve tattoo, using traditional Samoan symbols.[66] Some of the tattoo signifies knowledge, wisdom and strength.[61]

As of 2024, Manaea was engaged to Talat Mirmalek, a former San Francisco Fire Department paramedic.[67]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Richards, Phil (April 19, 2013). "Indiana State pitcher Manaea has become red-hot prospect". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  2. ^ Gallegos, Martin (May 25, 2018). "The making of Sean Manaea: How A's ace has found the confidence to match his talent". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Indiana State's Sean Manaea steps into the MLB draft spotlight – college baseball – ESPN". Espn.go.com. March 14, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  4. ^ Metz, Ryan (June 25, 2009). "Northwest team boosts stock with sweep of All-Indiana Crossroads Series games". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved April 22, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Smith, Hillary (April 7, 2013). "Sean Manaea mania is on the rise". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  6. ^ a b Slusser, Susan (May 5, 2016). "Meet the A's hottest prospect: Sean Manaea – San Francisco Chronicle". Sfchronicle.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  7. ^ Mayo, Jonathan. "Sean Manaea's cool exterior masks inner fire as First-Year Player Draft nears | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Adams, Lynn (January 8, 2020). "Manaea named to Prospect League Hall of Fame". Dubois County Herald. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e McCullough, Andy (March 9, 2014). "Royals pleased with pitching prospect Sean Manaea's progress". Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Sean Manaea – Baseball". Indiana State University Athletics.
  11. ^ "On the mound | State Magazine | Indiana State University". State Magazine. April 1, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  12. ^ "The MLB Careers of Cape League Award Winners | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  13. ^ "#51 Sean Manaea". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  14. ^ "Perfect Game honors Sean Manaea | WTHITV.com Terre Haute, Indiana". Wthitv.com. January 21, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  15. ^ "Manaea added to national watch list wthitv.com terre haute indiana sports". Wthitv.com. April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  16. ^ "2013 Missouri Valley Conference Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  17. ^ a b "Royals Sign Sean Manaea". MLB.com (Press release). Kansas City Royals. June 21, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  18. ^ "Luhnow, scouts considering options for No. 1 Draft pick | astros.com: News". mlb.com. April 22, 2013. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  19. ^ Kaegel, Dick (June 7, 2013). "Royals draft two big lefties in Manaea, Reed". MLB.com. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  20. ^ Gier, Kathleen (May 24, 2013). "Royals sign supplemental pick Sean Manaea". MLB.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  21. ^ "2014 Carolina League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. ^ Emery, Mark. "Kansas City Royals prospect Sean Manaea and New York Mets prospect Brandon Nimmo assigned to Minor League camp – Eastern League News". Eastern League. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  23. ^ a b c "Sean Manaea Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com.
  24. ^ McCullough, Andy (July 18, 2015). "Royals promote pitching prospect Sean Manaea to Class AA Northwest Arkansas". Kansas City Star. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  25. ^ Berry, Adam (July 28, 2015). "Royals get Zobrist in trade with A's". MLB.com. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  26. ^ Korn, Will (July 30, 2015). "Manaea lands on 'Hounds after A's-Royals trade". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  27. ^ Stiglich, Joe (February 21, 2016). "Lefty Sean Manaea: The A's 'Samoan Randy Johnson'". NBCS Bay Area. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  28. ^ Ammenheuser, David (April 4, 2016). "Nashville Sounds set opening day roster". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  29. ^ a b "Sean Manaea College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  30. ^ Slusser, Susan (April 27, 2016). "A's to call up top prospect Sean Manaea for Friday start". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  31. ^ Kawahara, Matt (October 3, 2016). "A's reflect on 2016 season mostly spent in 'crisis mode'". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved January 23, 2017.
  32. ^ Macklin, Oliver. "Left shoulder strain forces Sean Manaea to DL". MLB. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  33. ^ a b c d e f "Sean Manaea Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com.
  34. ^ Slusser, Susan (June 5, 2017). "A's Sean Manaea turns in another solid start". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  35. ^ Lee, Jane (January 20, 2016). "A's Sean Manaea on cusp of a breakout season | Oakland Athletics". Mlb.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  36. ^ Slusser, Susan (September 28, 2017). "Sean Manaea wins at Texas, says weight loss affected season". SFGate. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  37. ^ Lee, Jane (April 21, 2018). "A's Manaea throws no-hitter vs. red-hot Red Sox". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  38. ^ Lee, Jane. "Sean Manaea's no-hit bid survives pair of close calls". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  39. ^ Mearns, Andrew (April 22, 2018). "The Red Sox were red-hot, but it didn't stop Sean Manaea from twirling a no-hitter". MLB.com Cut4. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  40. ^ Gallegos, Martin (April 23, 2018). "Sean Manaea receives special honor for no-hitter against Red Sox". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  41. ^ Lee, Jane. "Sean Manaea makes history in 1st start after no-no". MLB.com. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  42. ^ "A's place Manaea on 10-day DL (shoulder)". ESPN.com. August 26, 2018.
  43. ^ "A's Manaea to undergo surgery, sidelined through 2019". SI.com. September 11, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  44. ^ "2018 Major League Baseball Baserunning/Situ". Baseball-Reference.com.
  45. ^ "Oakland A's left-handed ace Sean Manaea is aiming for a midseason return from shoulder surgery – The San Francisco Examiner". Sfexaminer.com. March 28, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  46. ^ Kerry Crowley (October 3, 2019). "A's Sean Manaea gives up three homers in AL Wild Card Game". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  47. ^ "A's sign MVP finalist Marcus Semien, six others to avoid arbitration". NBC Sports. January 10, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  48. ^ "Sean Manaea doesn't get playoff redemption he hoped for in ALDS Game 2". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  49. ^ Gallegos, Martin (January 15, 2021). "A's agree with all 6 eligible for arbitration". MLB.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  50. ^ Franco, Anthony (March 22, 2022). "A's Avoid Arbitration With Montas, Manaea". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
  51. ^ "Padres land lefty Manaea as A's continue purge". ESPN.com. April 3, 2022.
  52. ^ Cassavell, AJ (April 3, 2022). "Padres bolster rotation depth by acquiring Manaea from A's". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  53. ^ "Sean Manaea Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  54. ^ "Giants agree to two-year contract with LHP Sean Manaea". MLB.com. December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  55. ^ Wirth, Taylor (November 5, 2023). "Manaea to opt out of Giants contract, become MLB free agent". NBCsportsbayarea.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  56. ^ "New York Mets and LHP Sean Manaea finalize $28 million, 2-year contract". Associated Press. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  57. ^ "Sean Manaea Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  58. ^ "Mets beat Phillies 7-2 behind Alonso and Manaea to take 2-1 lead in NLDS". AP News. October 9, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  59. ^ Axisa, Mike (November 2, 2024). "MLB contract option decisions: Sean Manaea opts out of Mets deal, Jordan Montgomery remains with D-backs". CBS Sports. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  60. ^ "Alonso, Manaea and Severino decline qualifying offers from Mets". MLB.com. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  61. ^ a b Nico (March 12, 2016). "AN Exclusive: Sean Manaea On His Future And His Heritage". Athletics Nation. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  62. ^ a b Pemantle, Nico (April 27, 2016). "AN Exclusive: Sean Manaea On His Future And His Heritage". Athletics Nation. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
  63. ^ Sammon, Will. "Mets' Sean Manaea honoring late brother with uniform number: 'David was the absolute man'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  64. ^ Cassavell, AJ (April 24, 2022). "Manaea and brother reunite on mound during Military Appreciation Sunday". MLB.com. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  65. ^ Guardado, Maria (March 1, 2023). "How Samoan roots connect these two new Giants". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  66. ^ Peng, Sheng (October 2019). "Oakland A's pitcher Sean Manaea, 'The Throwin' Samoan,' talks small towns and heritage". Nbcnews.com. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  67. ^ Slusser, Susan (April 23, 2024). "Sean Manaea reflects on leaving Giants, life as Mets starter". sfchronicle.com. Retrieved September 21, 2004.
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Achievements
Preceded by No-hitter pitcher
April 21, 2018 		Succeeded by
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