Left-hander reliever A.J. Minter figures to be a huge piece of the Mets’ bullpen this season, and the veteran took a big step in his recovery from hip surgery on Wednesday when he made his Grapefruit League debut against the St Louis Cardinals.
Minter, the former Atlanta Braves southpaw who signed a two-year deal with the Mets this offseason, pitched a perfect fifth inning on Wednesday in Jupiter, Fla., retiring the side on 10 pitches while striking out Alec Burleson on a cutter in the dirt.
Minter’s fastball sat around 93 mph, and while he said he expects that number to tick up as he ramps up, he told reporters that he was pleased overall with his first outing.