JUPITER, Fla. — The Mets have largely avoided injury so far this spring, but they got scared when David Peterson took a comeback off his left foot during his performance in a 15-4 exhibition win over the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium on Saturday.
The southpaw ended the inning, but then reported pain and was sent back to Port St. Lucie for an X-ray.
“You get to know a guy and you know there might be more to it than he’s letting on,” manager Buck Showalter said of Peterson.
The 27-year-old got the out on the line and recovered well enough to chase the ball and throw out Nick Fortes and faced two more batters to end the inning.
Peterson, who will likely provide depth for the rotation, went a couple of scoreless innings, walked two batters and struckout one before leaving the game.
The Mets will get their first look at Kodai Senga on Sunday, with the right-hander set to make his Grapefruit League debut against the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium.
It will be the right-hander’s first game since signing with the Mets in the offseason.
“It’s new to him, but it’s still pitching,” Showalter said before Saturday’s game. “It’s still baseball, it’s still hitters trying to do damage. I think once he’s in the thick of the action he’ll be in his element. I’ll feel better answering it when it’s over and we’ll see what’s up.
Senga, who came from Japan on a five-year, $75 million contract, spent the early part of camp adjusting to the baseball and slope of the mound, he said through an interpreter earlier this week.
He anticipated the challenge of “throwing to real hitters, not the Mets’ hitters, so it’s something I’m really looking forward to.”
Senga won’t be the only one learning, Showalter noted.
“We’ll look for what might help him,” Showalter said. “It will be good for us as we are also learning. I think we’re all looking forward to getting the first one out of the way. He stole here [in spring] already, just not in a match with a team wearing a different kit.”
Senga is followed on the mound by Jose Quintana, who had a rocky start in spring training.
Showalter said Quintana, another free agent signing this past two-year, $26 million offseason, will pitch two or three innings.
“We also get to know Quintana, as well as Senga,” Showalter said.
Sunday is the last day in camp for many players about to leave for the World Baseball Classic, including Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil, who Showalter said would leave after Sunday’s game.
“I don’t think some people realize the impact it’s going to have,” Showalter said.
Showalter added that he spoke to Team USA manager Mark DeRosa on Saturday and had only one piece of advice for him: “I told him, ‘Make sure they all come back healthy.’ ”
One of the ways it will affect the Mets is the fact that Showalter said he doesn’t expect no pitchers to be sent to minor league camp on Monday as many will be needed to fill the void that has been left by the pitchers appearing in the tournament. .
“We’ll see how we are with the poor after all these people leave,” Showalter said.
