Mets manager reveals latest on Sean Manaea following oblique scare

In February, it was announced that New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea had been dealing with a right oblique injury. This quickly shadowed his availability for not just Opening Day but for the season.

He was not the only pitcher to feel some discomfort, either. Frankie Montas had experienced a high-grade right lat strain just a week before the Manaea news dropped.

However, the Mets received some good news regarding Manaea. Manager Carlos Mendoza gave an update on his starter, revealing that he had an MRI done that revealed no structural damage.

"Yes, he's clear. He played catch for the first time two days ago. So, yeah, he is symptom free, he's doing good, and like I said, he is already starting his throwing program," said Mendoza.

The Amazins dodged a major bullet here. Oblique injuries can be tricky to recover from and have cost many pitchers plenty of games in the past.

"Well, I mean, we pretty much got to build him back up as a starter. The good thing is he's feeling good, there's nothing going on there in that oblique, and now he's [throwing] 75 [feet], 90 [feet], and 120 [feet] before he gets on the mound" he added.

Mendoza could not pinpoint when he could return. Manaea is currently building his arm back up as a starter, throwing long tosses before returning to the mound.

Mets players have been going down with injuries left and right

New York Mets - Carlos Mendoza (Photo via IMAGN)

While the Mets have had a monster off-season, signing the likes of Juan Soto and Pete Alonso, they have seen key players get hurt. Just recently, they learned they will likely be without Jeff McNeil to start the season.

McNeil is currently dealing with an oblique injury that has shut him down. He will be off the field for seven-to-10 days, during which he will be reevaluated to see if he can resume baseball activities.

Francisco Alvarez is also another player who will miss time. He fractured his hamate bone during an aggressive swing just a few weeks ago, which required surgery.

He will be out for the foreseeable future but does have a target return date in mind. He is hoping to return to the lineup in six to eight weeks. Hopefully, Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Francisco Lindor can wreak havoc until the catcher can return.