Tommy Hunter had an excellent first outing for the Mets on Friday against the Marlins. This after the 36-year-old earned a spot in the bullpen following a near-perfect spring training.
The veteran right-hander may not overpower hitters anymore, but he was healthy and consistent for the Mets this spring. And in the second game of the season, he tossed two shutout innings in the Mets' 2-1 loss, allowing only one hit, picking up six outs on just 19 pitches
After the departure of innings-eater extraordinaire Trevor Williams, the implementation of David Peterson into the starting rotation and the unfortunate Edwin Diaz injury at the WBC, the Mets were squarely in the market for productive, veteran arms.
Enter Hunter, a former high-leverage reliever in Baltimore for current Mets skipper Buck Showalter. Hunter came to camp without a guaranteed contract and earned a spot after two injury-filled seasons with the Mets in 2021-22.
Across 9 innings of Grapefruit League action, Hunter recorded a spotless 0.00 ERA, struck out 11 batters and walked only one. In a season where defensive positioning is unlikely to bail pitchers out like in years past, Hunter’s sudden swing-and-miss ability could do wonders for his long-term viability out of the Mets pen. With the seemingly never-ending injury bug sweeping across the Mets pitching staff, this performance could not have come at a better time.
A career marred with more questions than answers, Hunter’s 2023 spring left the Mets front office with little doubt. And he rewarded the Mets trust in him by picking up Peterson with two efficient innings Friday.
Hunter’s flawless spring, along with the plethora of Met pitching misfortunes, has catapulted him into a significant, early-season role. If the oft-injured Indianapolis native can remain available, there is no telling what kind of value he can bring to this pennant-obsessed franchise.
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