A.J. Minter and the main setup relievers off to a great start
A.J. Minter pitched in back-to-back games for the first time as a Met in the club’s 18th and 19th games. There were some questions about how effective Minter would be coming off hip surgery, even concerns that he would need to open the season on the IL. Instead, Minter has been a reliable member of the pen and has now apparently answered the final question about his availability.
With the team’s starters not often going deep into games, the Mets have had to rely on their bullpen to provide innings. For the most part, they’ve accomplished that with using three pitchers to go multiple innings at a time. But even with embracing multi-inning relievers, it was still a tiny handicap to have a reliever unable to go in back-to-back games, especially with the Mets in the midst of a streak of having games in 13 straight days, as well as having to pitch a bullpen game recently with Griffin Canning missing a start due to illness.
Now that Minter has cleared that hurdle, it should make Carlos Mendoza’s job a touch easier, especially given how well he has pitched so far this season.
Minter gave up two runs in his second outing of the year. He’s pitched shutout ball in his other eight appearances. For the year, Minter has 8.1 IP, a 2.16 ERA and a 0.720 WHIP, with 1 BB and 12 KS in the 31 batters he’s faced. Along with Ryne Stanek – 0.00 ERA in 6.1 IP – Minter has given the club excellent late-inning performances as a bridge to closer Edwin Diaz.
During Spring Training, Minter made just five appearances, covering 4.1 IP. Because of his lengthy track record in the majors, it was easier to take him north for Opening Day than it would have been with an unproven pitcher. If healthy, odds were that Minter was going to be a solid reliever. Or better. And he’s proven to be just that.
A lot of people were excited to add Minter, as he gave the club a reliable lefty reliever. The thing is that Minter has been nearly as good retiring righties throughout his career, which is what really made him a good addition. Lifetime, RHB have a .658 against Minter, compared to a .601 OPS when he has the platoon advantage. In the tiny sample of 2025, Minter has a .556 OPS versus lefties and a .325 mark against righties.
If you just go by name value, it seems that neither Minter nor Stanek are ideal eighth-inning relievers. Fortunately, actual results trump name value. Now it’s just a matter of that duo showing they can handle whatever comes their way. We’ve already seen Stanek record a save and it wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Minter notch a few before the season is over.
The multi-inning relievers have been getting all of the love yet we shouldn’t overlook what the short-inning guys from the pen have contributed. Reed Garret has yet to give up a run and when you add his numbers to those posted by Minter and Stanek, you get: 22.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 BB and 30 Ks. A 0.81 ERA and a 3.75 K/BB ratio will do just fine, thank you.
Now, if only the closer could match what the short relievers and the multi-inning guys were doing, the bullpen would be firing on all cylinders.
Minter has been another valuable addition to the well worked pen. He was a solid reliever for the Braves for several years and his subtraction from their roster is also a plus for the Mets. Diaz continues to get everyone nervous when he comes in so between Minter and Stanek, there are some other closer potential when Diaz has thrown too many pitches the day before simply trying to get through one inning. If the Mets starters can figure out how to throw six innings, the pen get less use and be more effective.