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PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets are planning to start the season without last year’s ace.
Sean Manaea has been shut down from throwing for at least “a couple of weeks,” according to manager Carlos Mendoza, with an oblique strain.
Manaea felt something in the oblique early in camp, but continued throwing.
As the discomfort continued the Mets sent him for an MRI exam that found the strain.
Manaea will need a full buildup once he returns to throwing, putting him on mid-to-late April schedule for a return to the Mets’ rotation, according to Mendoza.
The lefty is the second starting pitcher the Mets have shut down since the start of camp.
Last week, Frankie Montas was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain that will sideline him from throwing until at least the end of spring training.
“You hate to see it, especially before we get to March, two of your guys are going down,” Mendoza said.
“But we have been talking about our depth and here we are getting tested.”
Manaea returned on a three-year contract worth $75 million after emerging as the Mets’ top starting pitcher last season.
The southpaw pitched to a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts for the team, posting a 12-6 record spanning 32 starts.
He posted a 4.74 ERA in his four postseason starts.
It leaves the Mets with Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn as the main starting rotation options to begin the season.