Mets' Carlos Mendoza gives updates on A.J. Minter, Dedniel Núñez

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided an update on the plans for relievers A.J. Minter (hip) and Dedniel Núñez (flexor).

Feb 15, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter (33) pitches during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

When New York Mets offseason addition A.J. Minter underwent season-ending hip surgery last August, doctors told him his recovery would take between 7-9 months. On Saturday, the left-handed reliever made his fourth appearance of the spring—seven months into that timetable.

Minter, 31, entered the game in the seventh inning against the Washington Nationals and retired the side on just 10 pitches, recording one strikeout. An inning later, he joined Gary Cohen and Todd Zeile on the SNY broadcast and said that while he feels great, he is not yet ready to say whether he will be ready for Opening Day.

"We're not gonna rush it,” Minter said. “We're just gonna see how I throw and make a last-minute decision, and we're still doing that."

After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed that Minter is scheduled for one more outing on Monday before spring training wraps up. Despite Minter’s cautious tone on the broadcast, Mendoza strongly indicated that if Minter exits his next appearance without issue, he will be on the Opening Day roster.

A.J. Minter (hip) threw a perfect inning today and is scheduled to pitch once more on Monday. Carlos Mendoza strongly indicated that if Minter comes out of that one without issue, he'll be on the Opening Day roster.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 22, 2025

Minter, who signed a two-year, $22 million deal (including an opt-out) in free agency, was brought in to be one of the Mets' top high-leverage bullpen arms. The left-hander spent his previous eight seasons with the NL East rival Atlanta Braves, where he won a World Series and posted a 3.28 ERA with 36 saves over 384 appearances.

In addition to Minter, Mendoza shared that Dedniel Núñez, another high-leverage reliever recovering from injury, is scheduled to pitch for the Mets on Monday. It will be the right-hander’s third Grapefruit League appearance, after a slower ramp-up throughout the spring.

Carlos Mendoza says that Dedniel Núñez is scheduled to pitch for the Mets on Monday: pic.twitter.com/hMiBGrOXAi

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 22, 2025

Núñez, 28, did not break camp with the Mets in 2024, but quickly became one of their most dependable arms after debuting in April. Over 35 big-league innings, he posted a 2.31 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and a 0.91 WHIP before being sidelined with a season-ending strained right flexor tendon in late August.

Although surgery appeared likely at one point, Núñez avoided it after making strong progress following a PRP injection. According to Mendoza, Núñez even threw bullpens and live batting practice during the winter in the Dominican Republic, but the Mets decided to take a more cautious approach leading into the regular season.

Before Saturday’s game in Port St. Lucie, Mendoza announced that the Mets had optioned pitchers Chris Devenski, Génesis Cabrera, and José Ureña to Triple-A Syracuse, among other moves. He added that left-hander Danny Young, long reliever José Buttó, and right-hander Reed Garrett had made the Opening Day roster.

Read More: Carlos Mendoza reveals latest New York Mets' roster decisions

With those three joining presumed locks Edwin Díaz and Ryne Stanek in the Mets’ bullpen, three spots remain open. One of those could go to Griffin Canning, Paul Blackburn, or Tylor Megill, depending on who is left out of the starting rotation.

If Minter and/or Núñez are ultimately not ready to begin the season, other bullpen options on the 40-man roster include Max Kranick and Huascar Brazobán.