PORT STREET LUCIE – Jose Butt cited three ground balls produced in two innings Sunday as evidence that a relatively new pitch he discovered is working.
After learning the sinker from reliever Grant Hartwig last season, the right-hander refined it during the offseason against a split Astros team that went 3-1 in the Mets’ exhibition win at Clover Park. I let it go.
“I threw it for the first time last year and I feel more comfortable now,” Butt said.
Butt primarily used a sinker against the Astros’ right-handed batters, pitching two shutout innings, allowing three hits and recording one strikeout on 39 pitches.
Butt also mixed in a slider and changeup with a four-seamer that was in the 94-95 mph range during the outing.
“He was able to attack the strike zone and use all his pitches,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
For Francisco Alvarez, who was behind the plate, the topic was Butt’s sinker.
“He used it well today. I think that pitch will help him do better than last year,” Alvarez said.
This was a positive first step for Butt, who is one of the rotation candidates to start the season after Kodai Chiga was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Tyler Megill and Joey Lucchesi are the other main possibilities for that spot.
“I’m not thinking about that. I’m just thinking about work and controlling what I can control,” Bhutto said. “It’s me versus me, so I’m just trying to do my job.”
However, the Mets could also look to Butt as a relief pitcher who can give the team multiple innings. This is a role that was discussed for Butt late last season.
“Last year, I said this.” [Jeremy] “He told Hefner he could put me in the bullpen because I’m ready for any situation, whether it’s one inning, three innings, four innings, whatever,” Butt said, referring to the Mets’ pitching coach. “If you give me the ball, I can handle any situation.”
Butt, 25, had an impressive performance as a substitute for the Mets last season, appearing in nine games (seven starts) and posting a 3.64 ERA. Butt had an even worse record at Triple-A Syracuse (5.93 ERA in 19 starts), and his struggles were due to difficulty adjusting to the automated strike zone.
“It’s important for him to maintain his mentality and that offensive mentality because his thing is to play,” Hefner said.
