This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo's Mets Beat newsletter, written this week by Bill Ladson. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

NEW YORK -- With left-hander Sean Manaea returning to the Mets for three more years on a $75 million contract, he gets to reunite with outfielder Juan Soto and right-hander Frankie Montas.

Manaea played with Soto in 2022 when both were with the Padres, while Montas and Manaea were teammates from 2017-21 with the Athletics.

Manaea will never forget the day when San Diego acquired Soto from the Nationals in a Trade Deadline deal that sent six players, including infielder CJ Abrams and outfielder James Wood, to Washington on Aug. 2, 2022. It was the first time in Manaea¡¯s career that he saw a team he played for make a trade of that magnitude. Soto went on to help the Padres reach the National League Championship Series, where they lost to the Phillies in five games.

¡°Juan is amazing,¡± Manaea said. ¡°When he first came over, you could feel the energy he [brought] to the table. It was carried out for the rest of the season and the postseason. We have some history. I¡¯m super happy he is on my team and I don¡¯t have to face him anymore.¡±

Montas is expected to join Manaea in a rotation that will include Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes and David Peterson. Manaea has seen Montas at his best in 2021, when the righty won a career-high 13 games with a 3.37 ERA.

¡°I¡¯m super excited [for the Mets signing Montas]. I love him to death. I¡¯m very happy to be reunited with him,¡± Manaea said. ¡°... He is a funny guy. He is very passionate about pitching. He goes out there and is a dog. He is tough and he is incredible, too.¡±