PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The live batting practice session that took place late Friday afternoon was notable mostly for Francisco Lindor’s presence, as the Mets shortstop took his hacks outside for the first time this spring. But it was remarkable for another reason, too.
The session was the third of spring for A.J. Minter, who was slated to be one of New York’s top relievers before tearing his left lat muscle early last season. Minter hasn’t pitched since, but he’s back for another year with a chance to impact the team as soon as late April.
During his live BP session against Lindor, Minter threw all three of his pitches, topping out around 93 mph on the radar gun. While he hopes to add a tick or two by the time he makes his season debut, Minter has been pleased with both his command and the life on his pitches. When he threw a cutter that Lindor foul tipped into the catcher’s mitt, the shortstop turned toward the mound and remarked: “That was sick.”
“Honestly, it feels way better than I expected it was going to feel,” Minter said of his repertoire.
For Minter, a longtime Braves relief ace who signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Mets before last season, this is a deliberately slow progression. He spent the offseason at home, throwing alone into a net. Because Minter’s lat injury was so serious, the Mets told him in January that they intended to slow-play his ramp-up. That means Minter won’t return until late April, possibly early May.
The expectation is that once he does come back, Minter can stay healthy for the rest of the season.
“We felt it last year when he went down,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s a guy that’s going to pitch in high leverage. He’s been pretty successful. He’s elite. The biggest thing when you’ve got a lefty there that can get righties out, he’s a weapon there -- a guy that we’re going to be counting on for those high-leverage [spots].”
• Fri.: NYM 8, WAS 3 | MIA 1, NYM 0
With Minter sidelined for most of April or more, Brooks Raley may serve as the team’s only left-handed reliever. Two other southpaws, Bryan Hudson and Joe Jacques, are vying for roster spots, but the Mets won’t take a second lefty just for the sake of having one. Whoever pitches best will make the team.
All the while, Minter will continue building up on back fields and bullpens, looking to reestablish his form as one of the league’s top lefty relievers.
“I want to help this team out. I feel like I let them down last year,” Minter said. “But for me to help the team is for me to stay healthy and on the field. If I have to be a month behind, so be it, and just make sure I’m ready to go when I come back.”