Mets reliever A.J. Minter leaves game, likely head to injured list

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WASHINGTON — Top lefty reliever A.J. Minter is likely landing on the injured list, manager Carlos Mendoza said after the New York Mets’ 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

Minter walked off the mound in the middle of an at-bat during the eighth inning because, he said, he felt his triceps tighten. Minter is expected to get an MRI on Sunday. Echoing Mendoza, Minter said he anticipated going on the injured list.

“When you got a pitcher coming out of a game because of an arm,” Mendoza said, “even if we get good news, you still gotta be careful. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We gotta wait and see what we are dealing with here.”

After throwing the ninth pitch of his outing, Minter grimaced, shook his head and walked around the mound. He exited with the count 3-1 to Nationals outfielder James Wood with one out. Max Kranick — for the second time in three games — made an emergency relief appearance and recorded the final two outs. Edwin Díaz then struck out three batters in the ninth inning.

A.J. Minter leaves the game with the Mets’ athletic trainer in the 8th inning pic.twitter.com/T57KqeHL4K

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 26, 2025

The Mets’ pitching staff stands out as a major bright spot during their 19-8 start.

New York’s rotation continues to impress. Right-hander Clay Holmes shut down a Nationals lineup loaded with left-handed batters for five innings. A rain delay in the first inning prevented Holmes from going deeper.

But don’t forget the Mets’ bullpen. New York’s relievers own a 2.56 ERA, fourth in MLB. Among the units in the top 10 for ERA, the Mets’ bullpen has logged the most innings (98 1/3). They’re deep and versatile.

Without Minter, though, all of that would take a hit. In 13 appearances, Minter has a 1.67 ERA with 14 strikeouts in 11 innings. The Mets signed Minter, 31, to a two-year deal worth $22 million, including a player option after the 2025 season. He was limited to just 39 appearances last season with the Atlanta Braves because of hip surgery. He was healthy throughout spring training and the first month, serving as a primary setup option ahead of Díaz.

“It’s super frustrating,” Minter said. “I was happy with the way the ball was coming out. Obviously, the team is off to a great start. But my job now is to get this thing fixed. I’m confident that I will and come back and continue to help this team.”

In the meantime, Danny Young lingers as the Mets’ lone lefty reliever (New York reached an agreement recently with Brooks Raley, but he won’t be ready until early summer). Young, who has a 4.32 ERA in 10 appearances, pitched a scoreless inning Saturday with three strikeouts.

“We always had a lot of confidence in him,” Mendoza said. “Whether it’s getting lefties in the middle of innings or late in games, every time we put him in the game and we’re giving him the ball, we feel good about our chances. He’s going to have to step up now, with potentially Minter being down — and everybody will. But it’s good to see Danny on back-to-back outings getting the job done.”

It’s unclear whom the Mets would turn to in order to fill Minter’s spot on the roster. They are likely prioritizing length, people familiar with the club’s thinking said.

(Photo: Brad Mills / Imagn Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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