A.J. Minter already providing Mets a bullpen boost

The early returns on A.J. Minter suggest the Mets may have added a significant piece to their bullpen puzzle. 

The left-hander, back this week after a 13-month absence while rehabbing from lat surgery, had two straight strong outings to boast as Saturday’s play began. 

He was utilized in a high-leverage spot Friday, summoned to get the final out of the fifth inning with a runner at second base before returning to record two additional outs in the sixth. Minter finished his one-inning stint with two strikeouts, giving him four over two innings since his return. 

“It’s good to just be out there, but I do feel like I could do better,” Minter said before the Mets beat the Marlins 6-1 at Citi Field in which he did not pitch. “I am missing some balls over the middle of the plate that I wish I could have back and so I feel like I am a little rusty, but I will take these zeroes on the board and I am just excited to be out there helping the team.” 

Minter, who arrived before last season on a two-year contract worth $22 million, owns a 1.38 ERA over 15 appearances with the Mets, with 18 strikeouts in 13 innings. 

His return has provided manager Carlos Mendoza with a second proven lefty reliever to pair with Brooks Raley. 

With Freddy Peralta struggling Friday to finish the fifth, Mendoza summoned Minter to face Jakob Marsee following Kyle Stowers’ RBI double that sliced the Mets’ lead to 6-4. Minter got ahead in the count 1-2 before throwing a cutter out of the strike zone that Marsee swung and missed. 

Minter returned to the mound for the sixth and got two outs, which included a behind-the-back grab by the pitcher on Owen Caissie’s grounder that became an out. 

“I was pleased with a wraparound inning — and it felt good for me to go back out there for that second time,” Minter said. “Definitely some positives in there, and I want to be in those big, high-leverage situations.” 

Mendoza cited Minter’s importance against a heavily lefty Marlins lineup on a night he didn’t want to use Raley. 

“For me to be able to be able to continue to play the matchups in those middle innings without having to worry about what is going to happen when the next at-bat comes in, those guys are in a good place,” Mendoza said. “And for us to have those guys every time they are available, every night, we are going to be pretty good back there.” 

Minter averaged 92.9 mph with his four-seam fastball, which is below his comfort level. 

“I topped to 94 and that was encouraging to see,” Minter said. “Every game I have kind of increased it slowly, gradually, and hopefully we will continue to see the same issue.” 

Minter suspects team brass will be cautious, at least early in his return, and abstain from using him on consecutive days. But Minter said he wants to be treated like the other relievers. 

“I told Mendy that I don’t want him to cater to me and babysit me,” Minter said. “I want to help this team. But I know them, they are going to try to help me and take care of me, but whenever they need me I will be ready to go.”