The Mets have signed 31-year-old left-hander A.J. Minter to a two-year, $22 million contract with an opt-out after the first year, according to reports.
The Mets were looking for bullpen help and found it in the shape of the career Brave, who has been a fixture in Atlanta’s bullpen for the past seven seasons and was recently profiled as a free agent by our own Chris McShane. Minter pitched 34 1⁄3 innings with a 2.63 ERA before undergoing hip surgery in August to conclude his season. In 2024, he experienced a worrisome reduction in velocity and an increase in home run rate, although it’s unknown how much of an impact the hip had on these trends.
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Minter has a three-pitch arsenal, and his cutter in particular was hammered last season, although his changeup, which he throws the least, was his most productive pitch. The fact that he appears to have shown strong interest in free agency suggests that at least some organizations, including the Mets, believe his hip will not be an issue in 2025, and that a change in his repertoire could lead to better outcomes. Minter’s career ERA is 3.28, with 422 strikeouts in 348 2⁄3 innings.
This is the Mets’ second signing since reports surfaced that they are pivoting away from Pete Alonso, whom the franchise now expects to sign elsewhere. The Mets now have another high leverage option for their bullpen, which previously had Danny Young as the sole left-handed pitcher.
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