The Mets agreed to a $28 million, two-year deal with free agent left-hander Sean Manaea early Sunday morning, The Post has learned.
The deal includes a player opt-out after the 2024 season.
The Manaea signing will further enhance a rotation that began the winter extremely thin following the deadline deals last year that sent future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander away for prospects.
The Mets previously acquired ex-Yankee Luis Severino in a signing for $13M and Adrian Houser via trade from the Brewers.
The southpaw Manaea helps balance a rotation that’s fronted by right-hander Kodai Senga and also includes righties Severino and Houser.
Jose Quintana is the other left-hander sure to be in the rotation, with lefties David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi remain candidates to start, as well.
The Mets also have been in contact also with free agents Hyun-Jin Ryu and Shota Imanaga, two more lefties, and though it’s certainly possible the Mets continue to add to the rotation, it isn’t known if those two pitchers might still be on their radar.
The Mets have said they expect to be competitive in 2024, and recent moves, including the signing of center fielder Harrison Bader, should give them a chance.
They have improved their up-the-middle defense, and now their rotation looks more solid, though it’s not nearly as star-studded as the one that began the 2023 season.
The veteran Manaea, 31, posted a strong finish in the Giants rotation last year, going 2-1 with a 2.67 ERA in September while making four starts and one relief appearance.
Manaea had been used mostly in relief after a rough start in April, when he posted a 7.85 ERA. Overall, he was 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA last year.
Manaea started his career in Oakland and also pitched in San Diego, so this will be his first time outside California.
He is 65-56 with a 4.20 ERA for his career.