ST. LOUIS — Mike Pelfrey made a cameo at Busch Stadium before the Mets’ 5-1 loss to the Cardinals Tuesday night, just long enough to remind the team he can be an option for next season.
Manager Terry Collins said the right-hander, coming off Tommy John surgery in May, had a throwing session and remains on course to pitch again next season. But it remains to be seen whether that will be for the Mets, who must decide whether to tender Pelfrey a contract. Pelfrey, who is earning $5.7 million this season, is arbitration eligible.
Collins said if Pelfrey returns, he could be considered for bullpen duty. Last year the Mets briefly discussed Pelfrey as a closer candidate.
”I would consider that [again],” Collins said, adding that it would have to be discussed with general manager Sandy Alderson. “He is a big, strong, durable guy. One inning at a time he could be pretty impressive. I think he has a great mindset to be a closer.”
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After watching several replays, Collins said he couldn’t determine conclusively whether Andres Torres touched first base in the ninth inning of the Mets’ 5-4 loss to the Cardinals on Monday.
Torres was called out by umpire Dave Rackley, after a Cardinals appeal, erasing an apparent leadoff double.
The subplot: former Met Carlos Beltran was watching on TV while taking swings at an indoor batting cage and alerted manager Mike Matheny Torres missed first base and the team should appeal the play.
But Collins said he was told Beltran didn’t actually see the play unfold — Cardinals broadcaster Mike Shannon (calling the game on radio) thought Torres had missed first base and Beltran simply relayed what he had heard.
“[Beltran] was the delivery boy,” Collins said.
The manager added: “I guess he doesn’t like me as much as I thought he did.”
It wasn’t the first controversy involving Beltran and the Mets this season. On June 1, Beltran had an apparent double to break up Johan Santana’s no-hit bid, but umpire Adrian Johnson incorrectly ruled it a foul ball. Santana finished with the first no-hitter in franchise history.
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Justin Hampson, Elvin Ramirez and Fred Lewis joined Jenrry Mejia and Jeurys Familia as the September call-ups who arrived Tuesday. The lefty Hampson pitched the sixth inning and allowed one run .