JUPITER, Fla. — Sean Manaea tossed four no-hit innings against the Marlins on Tuesday.
Still, the number that many observers paid attention to was the speed of his four-seam fastball, which remained in the 86-88 mph range, down about 3 mph from a year ago.
“It’s low, but I feel good,” the lefty said after his outing in a 5-5 tie at Roger Dean Stadium. “I’m not concerned about it whatsoever. I’ll get to Citi Field, get the adrenaline going and it will shoot back up.”
Perhaps, but there’s no guarantee of that happening for the 34-year-old who went through a miserable, injury-plagued 2025.
And if his fastball doesn’t get to the 90s, Manaea said he is confident he can get batters out.
“I’ve pitched with 86-87 [mph],’’ Manaea said. “I don’t want to be there, but I still think I’m effective. I’ll fill up the strike zone and mix and match.”
He also believes the cutter he’s working on could help offset a potential loss of velocity.
But with the regular season quickly approaching, a tick up in velocity would be positive and Carlos Mendoza said he’s not sure that will happen.
“We don’t know,’’ the manager said. “I would say yes, especially with what he went through [physically] last year. It might take some time.”
Mendoza remained pleased that Manaea was able to get swings and misses without his best fastball and that the cutter was effective.
But both he and Manaea would like to see some low-90s on the scoreboard.
“I think it’s in there,’’ Mendoza said. “I think the velo will come.”
Carson Benge’s hot spring has put him in a spot to win a job out of spring training and now MJ Melendez is off to minor league camp.
Melendez, signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, got off to a hot start in Mets camp, but the outfielder’s lack of playing time once he left to play for Team Puerto Rico in the WBC likely ended his chances of making the Opening Day roster.
Mendoza said Tuesday after Melendez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse — along with right-hander Christian Scott — that the outfielder needed to get more reps at the plate.
“He’s got to get at-bats,’’ the manager said of Melendez, who went 4-for-11 with two homers with the Mets, but then got just six plate appearances in the WBC before Puerto Rico was eliminated.
In Tuesday’s game against the Marlins, Tyrone Taylor got the start in left, with Luis Robert Jr. in center and Brett Baty in right.
Both Benge and Mike Tauchman, another left-handed hitter, have impressed this spring.
Scott was optioned after a fairly encouraging spring, as the 26-year-old right-hander is coming back from 2024 Tommy John surgery.
“He came in in a really good spot,’’ Mendoza said. “He worked hard in his rehab process, especially after getting a taste [of the majors] in 2024.”
He will serve as more rotation depth for the Mets, who have six viable starting pitchers with Opening Day little more than a week away.
In other roster moves Tuesday, right-handers Adbert Alzolay, Nick Burdi and Daniel Duarte and infielders Christian Arroyo and Jose Rojas were reassigned to minor league camp.