One of the biggest takeaways of the MLB Playoffs so far has been the lack of innings thrown by starting pitchers. The game has been heading in this direction for several years, and it’s not exactly surprising given that only three starters logged more than 200 innings in 2026.

What that doesn’t take into account is the number of starters needed to get to the postseason. The Milwaukee Brewers had 13 different pitchers start in the regular season (including openers). The Tampa Bay Rays, the team that pioneered the use of openers, used 12. The Mets have estimated that they will need 10-13 to start the season between the major leagues, Triple-A and even Double-A going into 2027.

The veterans who eat innings are more important than they might appear on a Baseball-Reference page.

For the Mets, that means a full season of a healthy Sean Manaea. At the moment, the lefty is the most experienced pitcher on the team, and given the uncertainty of the expected lockout and how it will affect the timing of free agent signings and the trade market, he could continue to be the most senior pitcher on the team throughout a tumultuous winter.

The 34-year-old has played a huge role in helping the Mets’ young starters on and off the field. The more he’s around, the better it is for Christian Scott, Nolan McLean, Zac Thornton, Jonah Tong, and even the inexperienced relievers like Nate Lavender.

“I think he has fostered an environment where young guys could be themselves, which isn’t always the case for pitchers who show up in the big leagues,” manager Andy Green said recently. “I think that has enabled them to perform with a greater measure of confidence, knowing a guy who’s accomplished a lot believes in them, and wants them to be themselves, and wants them to enjoy the journey.”

But he has to perform at a high level, something he’s struggled to do over the last few seasons.

In 2026, Manaea stayed healthy, but he wasn’t always effective. The Mets had him in the bullpen to start the season when he wasn’t able to throw more than about 90 MPH, and at times, they seemed to avoid using him. Once he added more velocity, he was more effective, but then stumbled a bit late in the season. Overall, Manaea went 6-8 with a 4.78 ERA over 33 games (19 starts). He posted a 4.68 ERA as a starter, and a 5.02 ERA out of the bullpen.

“We didn’t, as a team, do what we needed to do, and I personally didn’t do what I needed to do,” Manaea said before the season concluded.  I think there were flashes of some really good times, but there were also a lot of negative things. So yeah, overall I would say it was a disappointment.”

It’s not easy for any pitcher in their mid-30s, especially pitchers like Manaea who were never especially hard throwers to begin with. This is something he seems to be realizing after some up-and-down seasons, and something he’s trying to navigate. With one more year on his contract with the Mets, he needs a big year and they need one from him. Manaea doesn’t seem any less eager than he’s ever been.

“I’m not getting any younger,” Manaea said before the season ended. “I feel like I’ve kind of got to do a lot more to kind of maintain kind of things.”

His biggest focus this winter will be adding velocity to his fastball and being more consistent with his breaking pitches. Manaea wants to come into spring training throwing harder so it doesn’t feel as though he’s working from behind right away. That will be yet another added challenge since spring training could start on time, or it could be pushed back by a few months. The uncertainty certainly doesn’t help veteran pitchers, but Manaea has the resources to figure out where he needs to be between the coaches with the Mets and the information he receives from Boras Corporation.

Manaea may not be an ace, but the game isn’t relying on those as it once did. Still, the Mets rely on Manaea for plenty, and will likely continue to do so in 2027, regardless of how many pitchers they add to the group.