JUPITER, Fla. — After a year marred first by an oblique strain suffered in spring training and an elbow issue in July, it was somewhat eye-opening to see Sean Manaea’s velocity drop by more than 3 mph from last year on both his four-seam fastball and his sinker in his opening Grapefruit League start Friday against the Marlins.
The lefty, though, said he was unconcerned by the dip in the numbers, noting the “weird mound” at Roger Dean Stadium, as well as it being his first start of the spring against an opposing team.
“Some pitches need a little work, but I feel healthy and for the most part I was throwing strikes,’’ Manaea said of his three-inning outing in which he allowed just one hit, a homer by Connor Norby in the bottom of the first. He threw 33 pitches, just 19 for strikes.
Manaea said he was pleased with his changeup and cutter.
Carlos Mendoza also liked the cutter, noting it broke in against right-handers and had movement.
Of the decreased velocity, Mendoza said, “I’m not gonna make too much of the first one. He says he feels really good physically.’’
As for his arm slot, which the Mets believed may have gotten too low last season, Manaea said he’s looking to get a bit higher, although not over the top.
More than anything, though, Manaea wants to avoid the IL.
“I think I’m good,” he said. “I feel healthy. I feel strong.”
It’s a long way from the east coast of Florida to the cauldron of New York, but Devin Williams has so far looked more like the lockdown closer he was for the Brewers in his early days with the Mets than he did a year ago with the Yankees.
He struck out three in an inning earlier in the week and tossed another scoreless inning Friday.
“He’s pretty elite,’’ Mendoza said. “Players at some point…are gonna go through tough stretches. For him, it wasn’t easy out of the gate [with the Yankees] and you know how that can be, especially here in New York. But he figured it out and he’s been that guy.”
The Mets are counting on Williams being that again this season in the wake of Edwin Díaz’s departure to the Dodgers, leaving Williams as the clear choice to finish games.
“We’ve just got to keep him healthy,” Mendoza said. “I like the fact he’s working on that slider. Maybe that will be a different look for hitters and get them off the fastball and changeup.”
As for closing out games during the regular season, the manager said of Williams, “He’s been in that position and we’re counting on him.”
Robert Stock, who impressed during his first Grapefruit League appearance for the Mets, has been shut down with a shoulder injury, Mendoza said Friday.
The right-hander tossed three scoreless innings against Houston on Feb. 26 before experiencing discomfort following his outing with Team Israel in the WBC.
Mendoza said the 36-year-old Stock, signed to a minor league deal for pitching depth, will be sidelined for the rest of the tournament as the Mets determine the severity of the injury. He underwent an MRI on Friday… Freddy Peralta is scheduled to start for the Mets on Sunday… Right-hander Dylan Ross was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
