Mets Option Bashlor, Peterson, Zamora to Minor League Camp

The Mets announced on Friday morning they’ve optioned relievers Tim Peterson, Tyler Bashlor, and Daniel Zamora to minor league camp. The Mets now have 36 players in major league camp.

Peterson, 28, got off to a strong start this spring though his last two outings have been poor. He has a 5.40 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and eight strikeouts in 8.1 innings this spring. The right-hander made his MLB debut last season, posting a 6.18 ERA in 27.2 innings.

The right-handed Bashlor has a 5.06 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, and has struck out just three batters this spring in 10.2 innings. The hard thrower had a 4.22 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 32 MLB innings last season.

Zamora, 25, was fantastic in his MLB debut last year with a 3.00 ERA and 16 strikeouts in nine innings. He has struggled mightily this spring however, with a 9.95 ERA and 2.84 WHIP in 6.1 innings. The left-hander is also hurt by the fact that fellow lefties Luis Avilan and Justin Wilson are expected to be in the Mets Opening Day bullpen.

Zamora, Peterson, and Bashlor are all on the 40-man roster.

Along with Avilan and Wilson, the Mets Opening Day bullpen will feature righties Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Robert Gsellman, and Seth Lugo. That leaves the seventh (and final) bullpen spot down to Rule 5 pick RHP Kyle Dowdy, veteran LHP Hector Santiago, and surprise candidate LHP Ryan O’Rourke.

Dowdy has struggled overall this spring (7.36 ERA, 2.45 WHIP), but threw three scoreless innings in his latest outing.

Santiago pitched good all spring before getting lit up by the Nationals (6 ER in 0.2 IP) on Sunday. He has allowed seven earned runs in 6.1 innings, though that comes with a 12 strikeout to one walk ratio.

O’Rourke, the first signing of the Brodie Van Wagenen era, has allowed only two runs in 9.1 innings this spring (1.93 ERA). He has allowed nine hits and walked six though (1.61 WHIP). Both Santiago and O’Rourke are not currently on the Mets 40-man roster.

Of course, the Mets are likely to keep their eyes open for relievers entering the free agent market such as veteran Alex Wilson. Wilson opted out of his contract with the Indians on Thursday and he has a career 3.23 ERA in 290 big league games.