Inside The Mets

Carlos Mendoza assesses key Mets reliever's Grapefruit League debut

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza got honest about Dedniel Núñez's spring training debut on Monday.

Grant Young

Mar 17, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Dedniel Nunez (72) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images.
Mar 17, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Dedniel Nunez (72) throws a pitch during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
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It appears that the New York Mets are set to have one of their most talented relievers back available out of the bullpen for the start of the 2025 season.

This is 28-year-old pitcher Dedniel Núñez, who produced a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a whopping 48 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched (25 appearances) for New York in 2024 before suffering a strained right flexor tendon in August 2024, which kept him sidelined for the rest of the last season.

After a live BP session last week went well, Núñez made his Grapefruit League debut during New York's March 17 game against the Tampa Bay Rays and pitched a clean frame, retiring the side in just 11 pitches and topping out at 98 mph on the radar gun.

Read more: Mets' Dedniel Núñez to take significant step toward being ready for Opening Day

Once the inning ended, Núñez showcased his relief at being back on the mound while walking back toward the dugout.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with the media after Monday's game ended, and offered up a clear assessment of what he saw from Núñez.

"Really good," Mendoza said when asked what he thought of Núñez, per an X post from SNY. "First time out and he's already touching 98, you know. 96, 97 consistently, slider was good. Same guy that we saw last year when he was healthy. So another good sign there."

He later added, "We're getting close to Opening Day, right? So we've gotta take care of him... we just gotta make sure he's feeling good to go when we break camp. And we feel comfortable with him breaking camp with us."

Núñez staying healthy for the 2025 season will be a massive asset for a Mets bullpen that looks essentially the same as one year prior, aside from the addition of southpaw A.J. Minter.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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