New York @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 12, 2025 ) NY Mets 3, Kansas City 1

Left-hander Sean Manaea finally appears set to make his season debut for the New York Mets.

Expected to piggy-back off starter Clay Holmes, Manaea looks to help the visiting Mets complete a three-game sweep Sunday of the host Kansas City Royals, who must be more opportunistic in this finale.

Manaea was expected to be a major part of New York's rotation after going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts during his first season as a Met in 2024. However, the left-hander suffered a right oblique strain during spring training and the road back has been rather arduous.

But, after several rehab outings, Manaea is finally slated to return to a major league mound.

"It feels good," Manaea told SNY. "You want to be out there helping this team win and it's frustrating when you can't do that. ... So, it feels good to be back."

Manaea is set to follow Holmes (8-4, 3.29 ERA), who has been extremely solid during his first stint as a starter in 2025. However, the right-hander allowed a season-high five runs, plus seven hits, over five innings at Baltimore on Tuesday.

"Talking to (Manaea and Holmes), they said whatever you guys want to do," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "We're just trying to keep things simple for Clay, and then we'll give Sean the proper time to make sure he's ready before we put him in."

Holmes has a 2-2 mark and 6.10 ERA in 10 1/3 innings over 10 appearances against the Royals, but all out of the bullpen. Meanwhile, Manaea is 2-2 with a 5.81 ERA in 31 innings over six starts versus Kansas City.

Both can help New York head into the All-Star break on a highly positive note after taking the first two of this set and recording its first winning road series since sweeping Colorado from June 6-8.

Juan Soto has homered in each of the first two games, highlighted by a two-run shot in Saturday's 3-1 victory. During the regular season and playoffs, Soto is batting .313 with three homers and eight RBIs at Kansas City.

Soto and the Mets get their first look at the Royals' Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.56), who continues to impress during his rookie season. The left-hander allowed only a two-run homer, plus two other hits, and a walk while striking out seven over a career-high seven innings of Monday's 9-3 win against Pittsburgh.

It was the sixth quality start in 11 for Cameron, who made his major league debut on April 30.

"As the game went on, he settled in," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Cameron, who also set a career high with 109 pitches on Monday. "When he's in the zone, he's going to be effective."

Cameron's teammates totaled 21 runs while winning four straight entering this series, but have scored just four and gone 1-for-17 with runners in scoring position against the Mets.

"We're trying to win, and so when we don't score the (runners) we have an opportunity to score, we're frustrated," Quatraro said. "The guys are frustrated, they don't want to leave runners out there."

Jonathan India had two doubles and the Royals' lone RBI on Saturday. He's 4-for-9 the last two games, but a combined 1-for-7 against Holmes and Manaea.

Kansas City star Salvador Perez, batting .385 in July, is 6-for-16 with three homers against Manaea. He's 2-for-3 with a home run versus Holmes.

--Field Level Media