Joey Lucchesi, who hasn't pitched for the Mets since the first half of the 2021 season, was back on the mound on Friday, pitching to his teammates in an intra-squad game in Port St. Lucie.
It was the latest encouraging step for Lucchesi, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery. Friday represented the first time the 29-year-old has faced big-league hitters since his injury (he threw a couple rehab outings in the minors), and Lucchesi allowed one hit in two innings of otherwise perfect work.
For Lucchesi, as he works his way back to being ready to take the mound for the Mets when the games count, the question will be how he is used once he is back to full strength. The rotation seems set with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Kodai Senga, Jose Quintana, and Carlos Carrasco, and the back of the bullpen boasts Edwin Diaz and newcomer David Robertson, while Adam Ottavino was re-signed this offseason.
The Mets also have David Peterson and Tylor Megill who could fight for innings in the starting rotation should an injury occur, so finding playing time after missing nearly two years will be a challenge for Lucchesi. Still, he says he is ready to take on whatever the Mets ask of him in 2023, even if it's in the bullpen.
"To be honest with you, yeah. I just want to be able to help and contribute to the team in any way," Lucchesi said. "Obviously I love starting, I've been starting my whole career, but I can help out in the pen too. I can get outs wherever, it doesn't matter.
"I feel like I'm a dog, and wherever they need me, I could help out."
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