A key member of the Mets’ relief corps will take an important step toward reinforcing the bullpen on Saturday.
Righty reliever Trevor May will resume throwing off a mound for the first time since he was shut down on May 3 due to right triceps inflammation.
“Yeah, big move, big deal,” manager Buck Showalter said Friday before the Mets’ series opener against the Rangers. “I’ve said it many times, he’s a big piece of our bullpen. We really love the idea of getting him back. He got the clean bill of health from the imaging, which tells you that it’s healed.
“Now he can start his progression. Talking to the guys about, in a perfect world, where that would fall, it’s very encouraging, his potential return to us. Providing he doesn’t have any setbacks, he should move pretty quickly.”
May posted seven victories and a 3.59 ERA over 68 relief appearances in 2021, but he was tagged for eight earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over his eight outings this season.
Trevor MayRobert Sabo for the NY POSTEven Mets owner Steve Cohen couldn’t resist making social media jokes about July 1 being a significant day on the team’s calendar every year.
“I hope everybody is enjoying my favorite day of the year, Bobby Bonilla Day,” Cohen tweeted Friday.
The Mets owe the former player around $1.19 million on that date annually through 2035 as part of a deferral agreement previous ownership made with Bonilla upon his release in 2000.
Showalter said injured outfielder Travis Jankowski is “moving pretty quickly now” in his return from a hand injury. Jankowski has recently resumed swinging a bat and hitting off a tee and lightly off live pitching at low velocities. He could start a minor league rehab assignment next week, Showalter added.
Right-handed pitcher R.J. Alvarez was called up from Triple-A Syracuse to take the roster spot of Chris Bassitt, who went on the injured list.
