AJ Minter’s Recovery Journey

PORT ST. LUCIE — AJ Minter stepped off the mound at Nationals Park on April 26, sensing something was off, yet feeling a bit relieved that it didn’t seem too serious.

Once the adrenaline faded and the pain kicked in during his time in the clubhouse, the Mets reliever found himself contemplating his return to pitching.

“I never thought it would be a season-ending injury,” Minter reflected this week.

Unfortunately, he faced a complete tear of his latissimus dorsi muscle, requiring surgery. After signing a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets, he ended the season having only participated in 13 games.

Now, at 32, Minter is working through rehab as he prepares for yet another spring training. Last year, while with the Braves, he had hip labrum surgery.

Throughout his career, he has also faced Tommy John surgery and operations for thoracic outlet syndrome.

“Easier than before,” Minter described the current rehab process. “After everything I’ve dealt with, this is just about strengthening my shoulders again.”

Recently, he completed his third live batting practice session of this spring.

Minter is hopeful about possibly pitching in a Grapefruit League game before camp ends, yet he acknowledges he won’t contribute to the team at least for the first month of the season.

Last season, the Mets had a tough time filling the gap left by Minter, and Coach Carlos Mendoza is keeping an eye on him as a potential reinforcer in May.

The bullpen struggled without him, but Brooks Lally, who returned after recovering from Tommy John surgery, added some stability in the latter half of the season. The Mets tried a rotating cast of pitchers, including Genesis Cabrera and Jose Castillo, before eventually acquiring Gregory Soto from Baltimore, who didn’t perform as expected and wasn’t retained.

Mendoza commented on the impact of Minter’s absence, “Some of those who stepped up did what they could, but losing Minter was significant, and we felt it deeply.”

Reflecting on last season, Minter admits it was tough watching the Mets fall just short of the playoffs, and he wonders if he could have turned things around.

“I felt like I let them down. They were counting on me, and it was hard seeing them struggle. I’ve been in New York all year, wanting to build relationships with my new teammates, and it’s frustrating to feel sidelined when I wanted to contribute,” he shared.

His focus remains on the future. “I worked hard this offseason; my main goal is to keep healthy. Injuries won’t help me help the team.”

As he assesses his performance so far this spring, Minter noted his fastball is currently clocking in the 92-93 mph range, which is a bit under his ideal target.

“I’d like to throw harder, of course, but I feel a month behind my teammates,” he said. “If I reached 92-93 mph upon arriving for spring, I just want to be competitive.”

Larry’s return provided a steady left-handed option for the Mets. However, the team still needs to decide on another left-handed pitcher for the start of the season. Brian Hudson, whom they traded for right before camp, is a primary candidate.

“We need a second lefty, but it’s still up in the air,” Mendoza stated, hinting that they will make a decision based on performance as camp progresses.