Mets reliever Jenrry Mejia pitched a scoreless inning during a rehab appearance with the GCL Mets on Tuesday.
The one-time Mets closer allowed two hits, walked none and struck out three batters.
Mejia is expected to slot right into a late inning setup role and team officials say he will be activated as soon as he’s eligible on July 7.
As Mejia serves out the remainder of his 80-game MLB-imposed suspension for PEDs, Terry Collins told reporters in Milwaukee he gladly anticipates his return.
“When he comes back, he’ll certainly be at the back end of that bullpen and ready to help out,” Collins said.
Mejia will not be eligible for post season play as per the collective bargaining agreement. But of course the Mets will tackle that problem if and when they make it that far.
June 17
The Mets are 66 games into the season, which means that only 14 games remain on Jenrry Mejia‘s 80-game PED suspension.
Mejia was the Mets’ closer last season and pitched very well, saving 28 games and posting a 2.72 ERA as a reliever. But he lost his claim to the role just before the season opener, when it was announced that he would be banned for the first 80 games of the season and any postseason games the Mets might play.
Jeurys Familia has stepped into that role and thrived, and as long as he is around, there is no chance Mejia will reclaim his closer status. But Familia having faced a heavy workload, the Mets having shown a commitment to limit the innings of their precious young starters, the unreliability of the Alex/Carlos Torres duo, Bobby Parnell still trying to regain his footing, and injuries to Josh Edgin, Jerry Blevins, Vic Black, Erik Goeddel, Rafael Montero and others, the Mets are severely shorthanded in the bullpen right now.
Mejia was not very good in Spring Training, has had his injury issues, will obviously be rusty, and, of course, must prove that he can get MLB hitters out without cheating. He is no sure thing. But if he can provide the Mets with a live, effective arm to help bridge the gap from the starters to Familia, he will be a huge boon to this team’s chances of playing October baseball (in which he will not participate).
People have seemingly forgotten about Mejia, but he will likely have rejoined the team by the All-Star Break (depending on whether or not and for how long the Mets put him in the minors to help him get back in the groove). He is about to become a factor.
The Mets need help before then, of course. Single-A pitcher Akeel Morris can not be warming up in pen during the ninth inning of one run games if this team is serious about contending. But if the Mets can get some length from their starters and some quality innings from their less prominent relievers over the next couple weeks, Mejia’s return could go a long way towards solving their bullpen— even if Jenrry’s old stomping grounds have been annexed by Familia.
