Mets’ ace says goodbye to ‘best (season) of my career.’ What is his future in New York?

LOS ANGELES — Sean Manaea took a deep breath as he prepared to face the media for what could be his last time as a Met. His eyes were already red and watery with tears after the players hugged each other in the clubhouse and exchanged words of encouragement.

“I’m just super proud of everything we’ve accomplished, everyone here,” Manaea said, her voice shaking with emotion. ‘No one else I would do it with. These guys have been grinding all year and it’s a sport, so it just is what it is.”

In the coming days, Manaea’s focus will shift from the daily grind of an MLB season to where he will play next year. He signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the Mets last winter. But the contract includes a player option that he will likely exercise after the season he has had.

What are Manaea’s feelings about his future with the Mets?

“I don’t really have control over that at the moment and I don’t even think about it. But yeah, I love my time here. I love New York. I love the organization and all the people here, so I would definitely like to come back.”

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The Mets season ended in Game 6 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Manaea started the game and allowed five runs before being pulled after pitching just two innings, his shortest outing of the season.

Manaea’s performance on Friday is not a reflection of his season with the Mets. After posting a 3.74 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in his first 20 starts, Manaea reinvented himself.

While sitting in the dugout when Chris Sale pitched against the Mets in August, Manaea decided he wanted to change his arm slot to look more like the former Triple Crown winner. Thus began an eleven-game stretch in which Manaea pitched to a 2.63 ERA with a WHIP of 0.76 and 82 strikeouts.

When asked how Manaea is performing this season in his nine-year career, Manaea replied: “Definitely the best of my career.”

“I’m super proud of the work I’ve been able to do with everyone here, on and off the field,” he added. “And I’m just super proud of the year as a whole.”