The quiet of the offseason officially shattered as New York Mets players descended upon the spring training facility, the familiar sounds of cleats on concrete and rolling equipment carts echoing through the complex. A new season, full of promise and renewed hope, was upon them.
On Mets manager Carlos Mendoza’s first day, he addressed reporters and provided updates on player health and roles for the upcoming season. Here are three key takeaways from his press conference.
Kodai Senga’s health is a positive sign for the Mets’ rotation
Kodai Senga’s health is a major boost for the Mets. Mendoza expressed his satisfaction with Senga’s progress, emphasizing the importance of a healthy Senga to the starting rotation. He even jokingly referenced the “electric” five innings Senga pitched last year.
Senga spoke to reporters earlier, confirming he’s felt completely healthy and back to normal since early January. He even joked about the Dodgers’ appeal to Japanese players, suggesting the Mets might need to build a roof to compete with the West Coast weather, drawing laughs from the assembled media.
Ronny Mauricio’s recovery is slow, but A.J. Minter is on track
Mendoza provided updates on two injured players. While he firmly believes reliever A.J. Minter will be ready for Opening Day, noting he’s progressing well from his hip injury, the news wasn’t as positive for Ronny Mauricio.
Mauricio, who tore his ACL in the Dominican Winter League in December, is recovering slowly. Mendoza stated that Mauricio won’t participate in spring training games until mid-March. Given this update, we all can expect that Mauricio will not break camp with the big league club and will begin the season in Triple-A.
José Buttó in bullpen, Tylor Megill to start
Mendoza clarified the roles of two pitchers, José Butto and Tylor Megill. He announced that Butto will not be used as a starter this year. Instead, he will be stretched out as a reliever, providing a multi-inning option out of the Mets bullpen. Buttó excelled as a reliever last year, posting a 2.00 ERA and striking out 41 batters in 36 innings.
Regarding Megill, Mendoza stated that he is being stretched out to be a starter. This likely means Megill will begin the season in Triple-A as he won’t be ready for the Opening Day roster. Megill is working to rediscover the effectiveness he had in the first half of 2021 when his stuff was sharp enough to rack up 26 strikeouts in 18 innings.
These updates offer a mixed bag for the Mets. Senga’s clean bill of health is undoubtedly a huge positive, solidifying the rotation and Minter’s expected availability for Opening Day bolsters the bullpen. On the other hand, we will have to wait a little bit longer to see if Mauricio could be the hitter he showed briefly in 2023.
