David Stearns provides update on Sean Manaea's injury

Injuries have plagued the Mets throughout spring training, with Nick Madrigal, Frankie Montas, and Manaea all being shut down during Grapefruit League play. But Stearns' comments on Thursday point to some optimism for the return of the 33-year-old southpaw sooner rather than later.

The team announced Manaea's injury on February 24th, just a week after Montas was sidelined with a high-grade right lat strain. Initial expectations were that he would not return until late April.

When the news broke, Manaea was candid about his frustration. “From my end, it’s very, very disappointing,” he said. “I hate being injured. If I’m not out there pitching, doing my job, it sucks. I’m going to do everything I can to get there as healthy and as quick as possible.”

According to Manaea, the injury had been lingering for some time. He reported "unusual soreness" in his right midsection early on in camp, but didn't see it as a larger issue. As camp progressed, the soreness remained the same, and Manaea said that the situation "just kinda plateaued."

While it is still highly unlikely that he will be available in March, Manaea could be a huge boost for the Mets rotation if he can return in April. Last season, the lefty emerged as New York's ace, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA; Manaea also shined in some of the biggest moments, including his outing against the Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS.

Manaea himself admitted that starting on Opening Day "is cool," but insisted that other guys will have to "step up and do the job," while he works to get back on the field. Getting Manaea back into the rotation will be pivotal for the team's success early on. Now, all eyes will be on the results of next week's imaging to see just how early that could be.

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