(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Left-hander Sean Manaea is the odd man out in the New York Mets' starting rotation, with manager Carlos Mendoza announcing Saturday that the veteran will begin the season in the bullpen.

The Mets intend to use a five-man rotation, with the early order of Freddy Peralta, David Peterson, Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga.

Manaea, 34, is expected to be used in the first week of the season in a piggyback role, meaning he will follow a starter with an extended relief appearance. Mendoza did not say which game he has slotted for Manaea.

The Mets open the season on Thursday with a three-game home series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, then head on the road for three games against the St. Louis Cardinals and four versus the San Francisco Giants.

'Six guys throwing the ball really well,' Mendoza told reporters in Port St. Lucie, Fla. 'And we were pretty honest with all of them at the beginning of camp. If everyone was healthy, we were going to have to make some tough decisions and one of them was going to be pitching in that type of role.'

The Mets close spring training on Sunday and have a 12-10-2 record.

In three preseason starts, Manaea has made three starts and thrown 9.2 innings. He has struck out nine batters but is 0-2 with a 3.72 ERA.

Last season, injuries limited him to 15 appearances (12 starts), and he had a 2-4 record and 5.64 ERA in 60 2/3 innings.

In 243 career games (210 starts), Manaea is 79-66 with a 4.08 ERA over 1,245 innings with the Athletics (2016-21), San Diego Padres (2022), Giants (2023) and Mets.

He signed a two-year, $28 million deal with New York prior to the 2024 season, and after a 12-6 record, 3.47 ERA and career-high 181 2/3 innings in 32 starts, he opted out to negotiate a high-paying contract. Manaea is under contract with the Mets through the 2027 season after signing a three-year, $75 million deal.

--Field Level Media