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Try it freeJUPITER, Fla. — Tylor Megill’s fastest pitch last season registered 98.2 mph.
In his first start of the spring, Megill maxed out at 98.2 mph.
The Mets right-hander looked strong in his first taste of the Grapefruit League season, allowing a run on two hits and a walk with a pair of strikeouts in 2 ²/₃ innings on Tuesday.
“Feel good. Don’t feel like I’m trying [for velocity] too much,” Megill said after the 6-1 loss to the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium. “Mechanics feel well. Body feels well. Ball’s coming out well. So overall, feel good.”
Megill threw 32 strikes in 47 pitches and was happy with 46 of them.
He wasn’t thrilled with a down-the-middle curveball that resulted in a Brendan Donovan triple, but otherwise he was pleased with his stuff.
“It’s been a while [since last on the mound], feels like at least,” said Megill, who once again entered camp as possibly out of the Opening Day rotation and yet again seems destined to break camp in the rotation.
In 2022, injuries to Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer created an opening for Megill, who wound up as the Opening Day starter.
In 2023, it was Justin Verlander who went down to open the door for Megill.
Last year Megill beat out José Butto for the final rotation spot.
This year Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas will be sidelined at the beginning of the season, which almost ensures Megill will be in the starting group late this month again.
There is a semblance of competition — Megill, Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning, and perhaps Justin Hagenman and José Ureña, are competing for three spots — but Megill is a safe bet to be a part of the starting group.
“Stuff was good, watching him at 98 [mph] today,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I thought he used all of his pitches well. I thought he was good.”
Ryne Stanek made his spring debut and pitched a clean inning with a strikeout.
Dedniel Núñez, whom the Mets are slow-playing after he made just one appearance after July last year because of a forearm injury, threw a bullpen session in Port St. Lucie.
The next step, Mendoza said, likely will be another bullpen session.
After that a live batting practice — which would be the first time he would face hitters this spring — would be on the table.
It is unclear if Núñez, a breakout reliever last year, will be ready in time for Opening Day.
Brandon Nimmo (sore knee) ran and swung during a live batting practice. He is expected to be reevaluated Thursday.
The first round of cuts arrived as 13 players were sent to minor league camp: RHP Ty Adcock, RHP Adbert Alzolay, RHP Dom Hamel, RHP Oliver Ortega, RHP Brandon Sproat, RHP Blade Tidwell, INF Ryan Clifford, OF Drew Gilbert, OF Rafael Ortega, C Kevin Parada, OF Alex Ramírez, INF Luke Ritter and INF Jett Williams.