SARASOTA, Fla. — Sean Green officially received word today, minutes after the Mets completed their final exhibition game: He’s on the team.
The right-hander beat out lefty Raul Valdes for the last spot in the Mets’ bullpen. Green will join Francisco Rodriguez, Pedro Feliciano, Jenrry Mejia, Ryota Igarashi, Hisanori Takahashi and Fernando Nieve in relief.
Green, who allowed four earned runs in two-thirds of an inning in the Mets’ 11-0 loss to the Orioles yesterday, finished the spring with a 6.94 ERA.
The Mets have until 3 p.m. today to submit their Opening Day roster. Mejia, Takahashi, Nieve, Ruben Tejada, Mike Jacobs and Frank Catalanatto have all been told they will make the team, provided they are healthy.
Omir Santos, who remained in camp behind Rod Barajas and Henry Blanco, was told he’ll begin the season at Triple-A Buffalo.
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Jon Niese allowed five earned runs in the fifth inning after four scoreless frames. Niese’s next start will come on Thursday against the Marlins.
“The numbers don’t show how good I felt out there,” Niese said. “It was one bad inning, and you can get over it and you are ready to start the season.”
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Jose Reyes went 1-for-3 with a double and played nine innings on the field in a minor-league intersquad game. Reyes has today off and will resume baseball workouts tomorrow. The Mets expect to have him for Saturday’s game against the Nationals.
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The veteran Catalanotto, a Smithtown native, said Monday’s opener will be among his career highlights.
“It’s been a dream of mine to be able to play at home and be able to have my family and my friends there,” Catalanotto said. “It will be special.”
Catalanotto, the last position player selected to the roster, will give the Mets a lefty bat off the bench. He wasn’t sure he had made the team until Friday night, when the Mets sent out Chris Carter.
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Darryl Strawberry will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at tomorrow’s opener. Strawberry will be inducted into the Mets’ Hall of Fame — along with Dwight Gooden, Davey Johnson and Frank Cashen — in August.