The New York Mets secured a 2-0 victory against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, but the win came with a setback. Key left-handed reliever A.J. Minter was forced to exit the game early and was subsequently placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strained left triceps, which is a significant blow to the Mets’ bullpen early in the season.
Minter appeared to be in discomfort after throwing a 3-1 pitch to James Wood, leading manager Carlos Mendoza to replace him with Max Kranick after a visit from an athletic trainer. In Minter’s absence, Jose Urena has been called up from Triple-A Syracuse, although he has yet to pitch for the Mets this season.
Minter, who joined the Mets from the Atlanta Braves on a two-year, $22 million deal in the offseason, had been performing well, posting a 1.64 ERA over 11 innings in 13 appearances. After the game, Minter spoke about the injury, noting that his triceps began tightening up before the final pitch, a cutter. He is set to undergo imaging and hopes the issue isn’t serious, adding, “I’m just glad it wasn’t my elbow.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza now faces the challenge of patching together the bullpen in Minter’s absence. Urena, though reliable, is not a lefty like Minter, and someone else will need to step up in the late innings. Urena, who had a solid 3.80 ERA for the Texas Rangers in 2024, will be expected to contribute, although his experience is more diverse, with eight starts and bullpen work last season. He also posted a 2.89 ERA in the minors this year.