Saturday's outing offered little encouragement for teams considering Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga ahead of the trade deadline, as both New York Mets pitchers struggled in a 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The defeat dropped the Mets 17 games below the .500 mark, matching their season's worst.
Manaea was hittable over his abbreviated start, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven over 4 2/3 innings. This marked the third time in his last five starts that he failed to complete five innings. Senga followed with 1 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and three walks, failing to inspire confidence in his potential as a reliever, a role he has occasionally filled since being removed from the starting rotation last month.
Kyle Schwarber opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run home run off Manaea, his 33rd of the season, after Trea Turner singled. The Mets briefly pulled within a run on Tyrone Taylor's second-inning solo homer, his seventh of the year.
Philadelphia extended its lead in the fifth when Turner hit a leadoff home run against Manaea. Later in the inning, Francisco Alvarez's errant pickoff attempt at first base led to a Phillies run on Alec Bohm's RBI single.
Senga gave up a leadoff triple to Bryson Stott in the sixth, then walked Turner and Schwarber to load the bases. Bryce Harper then drove in two runs with a single, widening the Phillies' advantage to 6-1.
Manaea is in the third year of a five-year, $75 million contract. Senga is owed approximately $20 million through next season. The Mets previously traded pitcher David Peterson to the Chicago Cubs last month for first baseman Cole Mathis. The significant remaining salaries for both Manaea and Senga may complicate any potential trades.