MLB

Mejia hanging around in Amazin’ battle for 5th spot

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jenrry Mejia has hung around and tried to make the decision difficult for the Mets.

For most of spring training, the race for the fifth spot in the team’s rotation has been Daisuke Matsuzaka’s to lose, but with six exhibition games remaining, the 24-year-old Mejia is still under consideration for the job.

Mejia did nothing to harm his chances Sunday, when he allowed one run on two hits over five innings in the Mets’ 3-1 exhibition victory over the Nationals.

More likely, the Mets see Mejia as insurance should Jon Niese not be ready to make his first start of the season on April 6. The Mets have Mejia penciled in as their starting pitcher for Friday, when they will face the Blue Jays in an exhibition game in Montreal. He is 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA in three appearances this spring.

“The only thing I have to worry about is go out there and do my job and do the best I can,” Mejia said.

The Mets have to inform Matsuzaka by Tuesday whether they intend to carry him on the 25-man roster. Otherwise, the veteran right-hander can be released from his contract or offered $100,000 to accept a minor-league assignment.

Matsuzaka, who is scheduled to face the Cardinals on Monday at Tradition Field, is 0-1 this spring with a 4.97 ERA in four appearances.

Among the Mets’ concerns with Mejia is the fact he pitched only 52 innings last season because of arm soreness and surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. Mejia has never pitched more than 108 ²/₃ innings in a season, and the Mets are still trying to determine what his cutoff number would be.

“At this particular time if he’s the fifth guy, how many innings can he go?” manager Terry Collins said. “That’s one of the things that is going to come into the decision. We’re sitting there talking about all of our prospects, him being one of them and to watch the innings load. I don’t know what the number would be, we have to be careful with him this year.”

The Mets have eliminated Mejia from the bullpen mix, preferring to keep him a starter at Triple-A Las Vegas should he not crack the major league rotation.

Mejia was in obvious pain during his final inning on Sunday, and later revealed he has bunions on his right foot and wasn’t wearing his usual padding. But the situation was of minor concern to Mejia and the Mets.

Just getting this deep into camp absent any serious health concerns has Mejia deeming the spring a success.

“The last two years I couldn’t stay in the rotation anywhere,” Mejia said. “But this year I came healthy, feel good, everything is there. All of my pitches I can command, so the only thing I have to worry about with my arm is stay healthy.”

If Matsuzaka is the fifth starter, Mejia and lefty John Lannan would be options six and seven for the rotation when the season begins. Niese, who had elbow discomfort last week, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Monday.

“[Mejia] has done a nice job and we’re very lucky we have as many options as we do for that spot,” Collins said. “We’re sitting in here right now with a situation with Jon Niese where we’re really not sure, 100 percent sure when he’s going to come back, so the fact we have two guys who are going to be lengthened out to possibly fill if not one, maybe two spots, we’re lucky.”