A.J. Minter Reunion? Why the Mets Checking In on Their Old Lefty Makes Sense and Why It Should Come With Conditions

Barely three months after sending him to Minnesota, the Mets are reportedly circling back to A.J. Minter. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Wednesday that New York has checked in on the veteran lefty, who is now a free agent. It is early, it is only a check-in, and nothing says talks have gone anywhere. Still, it is the kind of small rumor that tells you something about how the front office is thinking.

Let's start with the history, because it is a little awkward. Minter arrived in Queens on a two-year, $22 million deal before 2025, with a 2026 player option attached. A lat injury and surgery cost him time, and he came back in May. On July 31 the Mets, sitting in last place, shipped him to the Twins for two infield prospects, Bruin Agbayani and Billy Amick. That deal was a classic seller's move, and nobody could argue with it at the time.

Now look at what he did this year. Reports at the time of the trade had him at a 2.35 ERA across 23 innings in 23 appearances. Pretty, right? The underlying numbers are where I slow down. His average fastball sat around 93 mph, down from about 94.5 the year before, and his strikeout rate dropped from roughly 32.6 percent to 21.7. A lefty who gets fewer swings and misses and has lost a couple of ticks of velocity is a different pitcher than the one who dominated for Atlanta, including during the 2021 World Series run that ended with him holding a ring.

So here is my fan take. A reunion can work, but only on the right terms. If the price is a short deal, a modest guarantee, and maybe an option that protects the club, I am fine with it. Bullpen lefties who know the building, know the catchers, and have pitched in New York without melting down are not easy to find. If it is another multi-year commitment built on a 2.35 ERA that his velocity and strikeouts do not fully support, I would walk away. We have all watched this team pay for relievers whose results were better than their stuff, and it rarely ends well in the second year.

There is also the bigger picture. The Mets finished 74-88, and the offseason list is long: first base, the rotation question marks, and a lineup that never got to show its full strength. Relievers sit well down the priority list, which is exactly why a check-in like this is worth noting. It suggests the front office is already working the back end of the roster while the headline decisions play out. Cheap, flexible, one-year-style bullpen help is how a team keeps its powder dry for the big swings.

And do not forget what the Minter trade brought back. Agbayani has been playing in the fall and picking up RBI in Arizona, and Amick showed real power in Double-A, with 23 homers in 379 plate appearances, although the strikeouts and the .217 average are a flag. If Minter comes back on a fair deal, that is a nice bonus: the Mets would have turned a rental into two prospects and still gotten the lefty back. If he signs elsewhere, nobody can say the trade was a mistake.

What to watch next: whether any other bullpen names get linked to the club this week, whether Minter's market heats up with contenders who value his postseason résumé, and what the Mets' payroll posture looks like once the bigger targets come into focus. I would love to see another veteran arm or two on short deals, but not at the cost of the more important work.

My verdict: a quiet reunion at the right price would be a smart low-risk move. A pricey one would not. Lob your take our way, Mets fans. Would you bring Minter back?