Sean Manaea took his final step toward a return to the New York Mets rotation with a rehab start for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies against the Hartford Yard Goats on Wednesday night at Dunkin' Park. Manaea pitched to one batter in the fourth inning before being pulled after 60 pitches,

Manaea is close to returning from the right oblique strain that has sidelined him since spring training and was scheduled to make his fifth – and maybe final – minor league rehab start on Tuesday. It would have put him on schedule to next pitch on Sunday and, if the Mets deemed him ready, maybe face the Yankees.

The New York Mets received some very encouraging rehab updates surrounding two injured players. On Tuesday, Mike Mayer of Metsmerized first reported that starti