PORT ST. LUCIE — Jenrry Mejia might have finally rediscovered a lost friend.
The Mets right-hander was a late arrival to camp this year and has been limited to two Grapefruit League appearances, but the recent reemergence of his signature pitch, the cutter, is making it a successful spring training for him.
“I think we actually fixed what we needed to fix,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said yesterday.
Mejia, who is battling tendinitis, said he doesn’t know when his next appearance will come, but saw enough Monday when he pitched a scoreless inning against the Tigers to believe the cutter has returned.
It’s a pitch that was compared by scouts to Mariano Rivera’s cutter when Mejia first arrived on the major league scene three years ago.
“In 2010 I had a real good cutter,” Mejia said. “But then I couldn’t find that. I feel better now.”
The rediscovery likely won’t be enough to land him on the Opening Day roster, even if Johan Santana isn’t ready because Jeremy Hefner appears to have dibs on that rotation spot. But at least it gives the Mets hope the 23-year-old Mejia’s best days are ahead of him.
This after Mejia struggled as a September call-up last season, going 1-2 with a 5.63 ERA in five appearances. Mejia was then late arriving to camp this spring because of a delay receiving his visa in the Dominican Republic — his age and identity were investigated and verified — before a hyperactive thyroid sidelined him last week.
Mejia bombed in his first spring appearance, against the Marlins, before pitching the shutout inning against the Tigers on Monday for the first evidence his cutter might be back.
Warthen said Mejia’s recent bout with tendinitis might be a result of throwing too many pitches lately in an effort to find his cutter.
“To me he becomes a major league pitcher when he has that pitch,” Warthen said. “Otherwise, he’s your average guy: 92, 94, 95 [mph] on occasion, but doesn’t have that one pitch he can sign off on and say, ‘I can get anybody out with this particular pitch.’ ”
Mejia said the cutter disappeared in the aftermath of undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2011. When Mejia returned last season, he started throwing more overhand, making the cutter largely ineffective. Warthen has since gotten Mejia back to throwing three-quarters overhand.
“It’s a delivery thing where he had gotten out of his normal arm slot and gotten higher, which straightens his ball out and makes it more visible,” Warthen said.
Mejia credits the pitching coach for finding a remedy.
“[Warthen] worked with me every day when I came back from the Dominican,” Mejia said. “He knew that I lost my cutter.”
Still unsettled is whether Mejia projects better as a starter or reliever. The Mets have him in camp this spring as a starter because of a crowded bullpen competition and the need for options should injuries hit the rotation.
Mejia said he thinks he will find a spot on the major league roster.
“I came here as a starter, but if they don’t need a starter and they want to put me in the bullpen, I’m going to be there,” Mejia said. “I’m going to be ready for anywhere.”