NEW YORK -- Sean Manaea, the popular left-hander who became a showpiece for the Mets’ ability to reshape starting pitchers, is back in the organization on a long-term deal. The Mets and Manaea agreed to terms early Monday on a three-year, $75 million contract that’s pending a physical, according to a source. The team has not confirmed the deal because it’s not yet official.

The agreement adds depth and ceiling to New York’s pitching staff, while allowing Manaea to grow roots in a place he feels at home. He immediately slots back atop the Mets’ rotation, where he served as a nominal ace throughout the second half of last season. Behind him, in some order, will be Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas and David Peterson. The Mets intend to use a six-man rotation regularly this season, which should also bring Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn into play.

Few players around baseball improved their overall profile in 2024 more than Manaea, 32, who joined the Mets on a two-year, $28 million deal last offseason with an opt-out after the first season.

Manaea set a career high in innings (181 2/3) and a career-best ERA (3.47) and was downright spectacular from July through the end of the postseason. In 21 starts from July 1 until his final postseason start, Manaea had a 3.40 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 127 strikeouts over 124 1/3 innings, including a seven-inning gem against the Phillies in National League Division Series Game 3 mere hours after learning his aunt had died.

“He just doesn’t let the moment get too big for him,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said at the time.

None of that success came by accident. In July, Manaea took inspiration from watching a Chris Sale start against the Mets and began lowering his arm slot to create a tougher angle for hitters. He supplemented that with a simplified pitch arsenal, relying more on sinkers and sweepers. With such changes came a pitcher who provided enough quality and quantity to finish with a combined 3.59 ERA over 200 2/3 regular- and postseason innings.

Compare that to 2022-23, when Manaea produced a 4.87 ERA over 277 innings as a starter and reliever for the Giants and Padres.

“Definitely the best [season] of my career,” Manaea said after his final start in NL Championship Series Game 6. “I was super proud of all the work that I was able to put in with everybody here, on and off the field. Just super proud of this whole year as a whole.”

The renaissance was enough for Manaea to become a slam-dunk candidate to opt out of his contract and reject a qualifying offer in search of a multi-year deal. Given the overheated marketplace for free-agent pitching, it seemed reasonable to believe the Mets -- whose president of baseball operations, David Stearns, prefers short-term deals for starting pitchers -- would move on from Manaea despite their affinity for him.

But at three years and $75 million, Manaea represented a smart mid-tier gamble, well shy of what top starters Corbin Burnes or Max Fried (who inked a record deal with the Yankees) would require to sign. For Manaea, sticking around New York meant living in a place where he and his wife, Talat -- the couple got married in November -- felt comfortable.

Unlike most players, Manaea routinely rode the subway between Citi Field and his Midtown apartment. During the All-Star break, Manaea found a group of softball players to join him in a game of catch to keep his arm fresh. He took advantage of the city’s restaurant and culture scenes.

Manaea also reveled in the community that Stearns, manager Carlos Mendoza and Hefner built.

“I loved my time here,” Manaea said in October. “I love New York. I love the organization. I love all the people here.”

He will now be back among them for at least the next three years, with a chance to continue building something notable in Flushing.