A.J.

Minter

Minter was transferred to the 60-day injured list last week with a significant lat injury. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed on Monday that he’ll require a season-ending procedure. It’s a significant hit to New York’s left-handed relief depth, especially once the postseason rolls around.

Minter might miss the rest of the season with the lat strain he suffered during Saturday’s game.

Mendoza added that season-ending surgery is one of the options on the table. Minter hit the injured list over the weekend with a left lat strain and is facing an extended absence, even if he manages to avoid surgery. It’s a significant loss for New York’s high-leverage mix bridging the gap to closer Edwin Díaz.

Minter hits the injured list after exiting Saturday’s relief appearance against the Nationals with left triceps tightness. No word yet on how much time the 31-year-old southpaw is going to miss, but he’ll presumably undergo imaging this weekend to determine the severity of the injury. His absence is a hit to New York’s high-leverage depth.

Minter was clearly bothered walking off the mound after nine pitches in the eighth inning, and now we know why. The left-hander will assuredly need to undergo more testing to determine the severity of the injury and see if there’s any possible structural damage. This would be a significant loss to the Mets’ bullpen if Minter was to miss time.

Minter walked off the mound after throwing nine pitches. The Mets will assuredly update his status before Sunday’s game against the Nationals, but this would be a significant loss for the Mets’ bullpen if Minter was to miss time.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza downplayed concern about the issue following Wednesday’s dramatic walk-off victory. Díaz tossed a scoreless ninth inning in a tie ballgame before leaving with a trainer in the ensuing frame. It doesn’t appear to be a serious issue, but it’s a situation fantasy managers should monitor in the coming days. He’ll presumably undergo further evaluation and testing to determine the severity of the issue. It would likely be some combination of Ryne Stanek, A.J. Minter, Reed Garrett or Max Kranick handling the closing duties if he needs some time off.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza made it official that Reed Garrett, José Butto and Danny Young will open the year in New York’s bullpen. The decision to jettison Walton leaves Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña as the Mets’ primary bench options, but they haven’t officially made the team yet, added Mendoza. It also means that A.J. Minter and Dedniel Nuñez are probably headed to the injured list.

Minter, who is making his way back from hip surgery, retired the side on 10 pitches. His two fastballs checked in at 93.0 mph, which seems like a good start even if he was down from his 2024 average of 94.5 mph.

Minter will be making his Grapefruit League debut against the Cardinals on Wednesday, and his first appearance in a Mets’ uniform. The left-hander underwent hip surgery in the offseason, and the hope is he can make enough appearances before the start of the season to not open the year on the injured list.