Sean Manaea will reportedly try his luck in free agency this offseason.

Per ESPN's Alden González, the starting pitcher will reject the New York Mets' $21.05 million qualifying offer and try to get a bit more in free agency, either from the Mets or from another team.

Manaea had one of the best seasons of his career in 2024, throwing 184 strikeouts and recording a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 32 appearances. His ERA was his best since 2019 when he played just five games for the Oakland Athletics.

He especially came to life in the second half of the season, recording a 3.09 ERA in his final 12 starts to help the Mets secure a postseason bid. In the playoffs, he had a 2.65 ERA with 17 strikeouts across 17 innings in his first three starts. His numbers dipped a bit in the NLCS when he gave up five runs in two innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Manaea had a $13.5 million option for the 2025 season but declined it earlier in November. It was expected that he would decline the qualifying offer for the Mets.

SNY's Alex Smith noted that if Manaea signs with another team, the Mets would receive draft compensation.

The Mets are coming off a successful 89-73 that saw them make a terrific postseason run to the NLCS, ultimately falling to the Dodgers. While Manaea will evaluate his future in free agency, it seems likely New York will try to retain him given his role to the team in 2024.