PORT ST. LUCIE — It’s getting close to decision time in the Mets bullpen.
When the Mets reconvene Thursday at Tradition Field after a day off, manager Terry Collins will have an eye on finding the final pieces to a bullpen that has provided plenty of headaches in recent seasons.
As it stands — barring injuries — Bobby Parnell, Jeurys Familia, Jose Valverde, Scott Rice and Carlos Torres have footholds on jobs, with Vic Black and John Lannan the favorites to claim the final two spots.
But Kyle Farnsworth and Gonzalez Germen remain in contention for jobs, with Jenrry Mejia expected to stay a starter and begin the season at Triple-A Las Vegas.
“Nine guys vying for those [seven] spots, and they’re going to be getting a lot of pitching,” Collins said. “It’s time to play it like we’re getting ready for the season.”
The veteran Farnsworth can ask for his release if he isn’t told by Sunday he’s on the 25-man roster. In five appearances this spring, he has posted a 4.05 ERA, having allowed eight hits and three walks in 6²/₃ innings. There were early concerns about his velocity, but recently he’s been clocked in the low-90s.
Familia, who has not allowed a run in five appearances this spring, has been the bullpen’s bright spot. It has gone less smoothly for Black, who has been roughed up in each of his last two appearances.
“We know that Vic, he’s a high-intensity guy, he throws strikes, he’s proved that he can pitch in New York. We give him a little bit more leeway than anybody else,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said. “But he still has to do some pretty decent things over the next 10 days.”
Warthen said the veteran Lannan still has not locked up a bullpen spot. Lannan — who is behind Daisuke Matsuzaka in the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation — would give the Mets a second lefty reliever, behind Rice.
Parnell, who underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck last September, has not allowed a run in four appearances this spring, and shown no signs of physical impairment. The Mets are also happy with Valverde, who they hope can fill the role veterans Jason Isringhausen and LaTroy Hawkins had with the club in recent seasons.
Torres has allowed one earned run over nine innings this spring and brings versatility. The Mets can use him in long and short relief and to start if necessary.
Warthen agreed with the assessment Familia’s emergence has been the best sign this spring for the bullpen, but also put Germen’s development near the top of his list. The 26-year-old Germen posted a 3.93 ERA in 29 appearances for the Mets last season.
“Germen is throwing the ball well, he’s just made a couple of pretty stupid mistakes the last couple of times out, hanging a slider and changeup on two-strike counts that have cost us,” Warthen said. “Those are things we just can’t afford to do, but otherwise he’s throwing the ball fine.”
The Mets have already reassigned Jacob deGrom and Jeff Walters to minor league camp, but Warthen predicted both will be part of the bullpen equation this season.
“I love all the choices we have, all the power arms,” Warthen said. “You’re going to go through some tough times with young people, but we have to get that tough time out of the way, because these guys are going to be real good.”