It did not take long for A.J. Minter to ingratiate himself to Mets fans.
Speaking on a panel at the Amazin’ Day fan festival at Citi Field, the newly signed reliever received a cheer when he took a not-so-subtle dig at Yankees fans.
“These Mets fans, these are truly baseball fans,” Minter said Saturday. “They get baseball, not like the other side of town.”
Of course, for Minter to truly earn the adoration of Mets fans, he will have to let his play do the talking.
The Mets signed Minter this month to a two-year, $22 million contract with an opt-out after the 2025 season, hoping the battle-tested left-hander can help form a dominant bridge to closer Edwin Diaz.
Minter, 31, boasts a 3.28 ERA, a 1.196 WHIP and a rate of 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings over eight MLB seasons, all with the Atlanta Braves.
He was a key member of the Braves team that won the 2021 World Series, pitching to a 3.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts over eight appearances as part of a late-inning bullpen group known as the “Night Shift.”
“He’s a guy that brings a bunch of experience, especially being left-handed,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “A bunch of playoff experience. High-leverage guy. Can get lefties and righties out, so he’s huge for our bullpen.”
Equipped with a mid-90s fastball, as well as a cutter and changeup that play off of it, Minter recorded a 2.62 ERA in 34.1 innings last year before undergoing season-ending left hip surgery in August.
Minter said Saturday that his hip feels “great” and that he hopes to be ready for Opening Day.
“The biggest thing is just to be patient,” Minter told reporters of his rehab. “I feel really good, and the doctors say the biggest mistake is to rush it and want to overdo it. It was slow at the beginning. I was on crutches for eight weeks and just letting it heal, letting it rest, and now that I’m able to do normal activities, it’s definitely nice to be back.”
Should he return to form, Minter would fill a significant void in a Mets bullpen that lacked a reliable left-hander last year.
The only lefty relievers to pitch at least 14 innings for the Mets last year were Danny Young, who posted a 4.54 ERA, and Jake Diekman, who recorded a 5.63 ERA before being released in early August.
Minter has limited left-handed hitters to a .221 average over his career. Right-handed batters have not fared much better, hitting .232 against him.
He is looking forward to teaming up with Diaz, who, coincidentally, was the first batter Minter faced as a rookie in 2017, back before the designated hitter was instituted in the National League.
Diaz, who was the Seattle Mariners’ closer at the time, struck out looking in that at-bat in Atlanta, giving Minter his first major-league K.
“It’s just getting to know each other and helping each other,” Minter said of Diaz. “He’s had great success. He’s a dominant closer, and my job is to go in there and give him a clean inning every time. Looking forward to getting to be with him and learn from him.”
Minter owns a 2.87 ERA over 166.1 career innings against the NL East. He’s been at his best against the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies, pitching to 2.30 ERA over 43 innings.
His first chance to pitch against the Braves will come in Atlanta during a three-game series from June 17-19.
“Atlanta holds a close place in my heart and I’ll do anything for them, but at the same time, I’m here to beat them,” Minter said. “It’s that friendly competition. But yes, it is going to be exciting to go back there.”