ARLINGTON, Texas — As a young infielder in the Giants organization, Carlos Mendoza had the honor of spending time with one of the legends in baseball history.
Mendoza took the time to remember Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Mays on Tuesday, the day it was announced that Mays had died at age 93.
The Mets manager recalled being invited to Giants major league spring training in 1998 at the request of manager Dusty Baker and interacting with Mays at the camp.
“We had a lot of great guys in that locker room, but having Willie Mays there and showing us, as young guys, how to play the game the right way meant a lot,” Mendoza said after the Mets beat the Rangers, 7-6, at Globe Life Field.
Mendoza said he didn’t know much about Mays’ upbringing in Venezuela.
But it wasn’t until he joined the Giants that he began to understand Mays’ greatness.
Mays played for the Mets from 1972 to 1973, and the team will retire his No. 24 jersey in 2022.
Mendoza said pitcher Kodai Senga is scheduled to throw bullpen balls on Wednesday and then potentially face hitters this weekend.
The right-hander suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a right shoulder injury last month and is not expected to join the Mets’ starting rotation until after the All-Star break.
Mendoza said he was encouraged by pitcher Adam Ottavino’s two scoreless innings in relief on Monday.
The veteran right-hander did not allow an earned run in four straight games following a tough May campaign.
“It was good that he pitched multiple innings. [Monday]”I thought he was very [efficient] “It was an easy decision for me to bring him in for a second inning in the seventh, and he’s done it. He’s been in this league a long time and has had a pretty good career. We knew he was going to struggle at some point, and he did in May, but he’s been attacking and getting hitters out recently.”
Ottavino was called upon to pitch the ninth inning of the Mets’ 14-2 win over the Rangers. He could have earned the save with three innings, but Mendoza selected Drew Smith to get the final three outs.
Luis Severino started against the Rangers and will start in the Subway Series opener next Tuesday at Citi Field.
The right-handed pitcher will be in the starting lineup against his former team.
