DETROIT — Sean Manaea had an apologetic tone to his voice late Monday afternoon as he assessed his season.
“I have high expectations of myself and this organization does,” Manaea said after the Mets’ 10-8 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park. “Everyone is pulling their weight, everyone is doing their thing and I’m not. It’s just very frustrating. I wish I had an answer for it, but I don’t. I will figure it out.”
On this day the left-hander lasted only 3 ²/₃ innings and surrendered five earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts and one walk to become the latest Mets starter to pitch ineffectively.
Kodai Senga flopped a day earlier, following David Peterson’s rough outing on Saturday against the Marlins.
For Manaea, who owns a 5.60 ERA, it’s been three straight starts without completing five innings, placing extra stress on the bullpen.
He needed only one pitch Monday to get behind, as Jahmai Jones went deep leading off for the Tigers.
Manaea surrendered a two-run homer to Wenceel Pérez in the third.
“Right now the biggest thing for Sean is he’s not elevating the fastball,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “So, he’s getting hit with it and he’s not able to use the changeup and sweeper the way he wants. But it starts with him elevating that fastball — what made him effective last year.”
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Mendoza indicated that team brass is focused on getting Manaea right — not removing him from the rotation.
It’s a similar approach with Senga.
“They are part of the rotation,” Mendoza said. “So, our job is trying to find a way to help and that’s what we will do.”
Manaea’s ugly afternoon concluded in the fourth, after he allowed an RBI triple to Zach McKinstry and Jones brought in another run with a single.
Gregory Soto was needed to get the final out in the inning.
Until Manaea can again elevate his fastball, success will be a challenge for him.
“It’s a big part of my game,” he said. “I get a lot of swings and misses up there, and then when it’s a couple of inches below it gets hit or I am just not setting anything else up.
“I feel like I am doing all the right things, but it’s not working out right now.”