Sean Manaea stats today: Mets starting pitcher shuts down Phillies to power New York to Game 3 win in NLDS

Kyle Irving

Sean Manaea stats today: Mets starting pitcher shuts down Phillies to power New York to Game 3 win in NLDS image

The Mets' magic hasn't run out yet.

Just two weeks ago, New York needed at least one win in a doubleheader against the Braves on an extra day of the regular season to even qualify for the playoffs. Now, the team is just one win away from reaching the 2024 NLCS.

Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea earned the game ball in Game 3, shutting down the Phillies for seven innings to allow his team to take a commanding 6-0 lead. He went back out for the eighth inning but was pulled after allowing Philadelphia's Edmundo Sosa to reach base on an infield single.

Sosa eventually scored off reliever Phil Maton, but the run was charged to Manaea, putting a lone blemish on his otherwise dominant outing. The Phillies scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to challenge Manaea's result, but the Mets' bats answered in the bottom half.

New York tacked on another run on an RBI double from Francisco Lindor and never looked back, defeating Philadelphia, 7-2, to take a 2-1 series lead.

For more on Manaea's lights-out start, The Sporting News has you covered below.

MLB HQ: Live MLB scores | Updated MLB standings | Full MLB schedule

Sean Manaea stats today

  • Pitches: 91 (65 strikes)
  • Innings pitched: 7.0
  • Hits: 3
  • Earned runs: 1
  • Walks: 2
  • Strikeouts: 

Sean Manaea shuts down Phillies to lead Mets to Game 3 win

The Mets gave the ball to Manaea for a pivotal Game 3 in New York with the NLDS tied at 1-1.

Manaea has had a revitalizing season with the Mets — collecting a 12-6 record over 181.2 innings with 184 strikeouts and a career-low 3.47 ERA — but his first postseason start with New York was a little shaky.

The 32-year-old brought his best stuff to the hill Tuesday, though, blanking Philadelphia over seven innings. He allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out six batters.

Manaea got into a little bit of trouble during the top of the sixth inning, walking Phillies stars Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to put two runners on with no outs. He came up clutch to strike out Bryce Harper, then got some help from his defense when Nick Castellanos lined out into a double play to end the inning.

Manaea let his emotions pour out as Citi Field exploded around him, serving as his marquee moment of the game.

The Mets added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning, then Manaea came back out to shut down the Phillies.

He made the top half of the seventh look easy, getting Alec Bohm and JT Realmuto to ground out before striking out Austin Hays on a nasty sweeper for his sixth K of the game.

Manaea tried to come back out for the top of the eighth but was pulled after allowing Sosa to reach base on an infield single to start the inning.

The Mets faithful rewarded Manaea's outing with a standing ovation as he left the mound.

The Phillies scored two runs in the top of the eighth — one of which belonged to Manaea — but the Mets' offense answered right back with another insurance run in the bottom half.

New York reliever Ryan Stanek stayed in for the top of the ninth and sent Realmuto, Bryson Stott and Kody Clemens in order, securing a win for Manaea and the Mets.

After the victory, Manaea revealed that there was an emotional investment behind his performance Tuesday. He found out his Aunt Mabel passed away on the morning of Game 3.

"That was for my Aunt Mabel. I had just got a message that she passed away earlier this morning. That game was for her," he told the media.

Manaea surely made his late aunt proud, putting the Mets one win away from returning to the NLCS for the first time since 2015.

Sean Manaea 2024 playoff stats

Manaea has made two starts for the Mets so far this postseason — Game 2 of the Wild Card series against the Brewers and Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies.

He didn't have his best stuff against Milwaukee, allowing two earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Even still, he left the mound in line for a win but New York's bullpen couldn't hold the slim 3-2 lead.

After Manaea's strong performance against the Phillies, his postseason numbers are looking strong.

  • Innings pitched: 12.0
  • ERA: 2.25
  • WHIP: 0.92
  • Hits: 9
  • Walks: 2
  • Earned runs: 3
  • Strikeouts: 10

Where is Sean Manaea from?

Manaea is from Indiana but he is of American Samoa descent, and he has a sleeve tattoo featuring Samoan symbols.

He was born in and grew up in Indiana because that is where his father — Faaloloi Manaea, who was born in American Samoa — was stationed after serving in the Vietnam War.

Kyle Irving

Kyle Irving Photo

You read that wrong – not Kyrie Irving. From Boston, graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Sixth season as a content producer for NBA.com's Global editions. Covering the NBA Draft has become his annual "dream come true" moment on the job. Irving has a soft spot for pass-first point guards, with Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash being two of his favorite players of all time.