Hunter gave up a hit and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning during Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran right-hander picked up the save, and while spring saves typically are meaningless -- Houston had no Opening Day starters left in the game by the time Hunter took the mound -- there's increased focus on the Mets' closing situation after the loss of Edwin Diaz (knee). Hunter has seen occasional ninth-inning duties during his 15 seasons in the majors, including a career-high 11 saves for the O's way back in 2014, but David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley (hamstring), Drew Smith and likely others are well ahead of him in the pecking order to replace Diaz, assuming he even gets added to the 26-man roster. Hunter has had a good spring though, posting a 7:1 K:BB across six scoreless innings, and that might be enough to lock up a low-leverage spot.

Hunter signed a minor-league contract with the Mets on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

The 36-year-old right-hander will likely get the chance to compete for a spot in the Mets' Opening Day bullpen while attending big-league spring training. Hunter battled injuries but was effective over his 22 appearances out of the New York bullpen in 2022, logging a 2.42 ERA and 1.21 WHIP across 22.1 innings.

Hunter was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with low-back tightness, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hunter hasn't pitched since Sept. 14 and will now be unavailable for the next couple weeks. The veteran right-hander will be eligible to return for the final few days of the regular season, though it's unclear if he'll be healthy by that point.

Hunter (back) was activated off the injured list Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

A back issue sidelined Hunter for just shy of three weeks. He's good to go after tossing four scoreless innings across three rehab appearances. Michael Perez was optioned to clear space on the roster.

Hunter (back) struck out two and worked around one hit in a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance Saturday with Double-A Binghamton.

EDGE Analysis

Hunter was placed on the 15-day injured list Aug. 6 with lower-back tightness, and the fact that he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment exactly one week later suggests he's on track for a minimum-length stay on the shelf. The right-hander had provided a 2.51 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 14.1 innings out of the Mets bullpen before landing on the IL.

Hunter was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to lower-back tightness, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hunter has made 11 appearances for the Mets this season, posting a 2.51 ERA and 16:2 K:BB in 14.1 innings. David Peterson was called up to take his place on the roster ahead of his start Saturday against Atlanta.

Hunter had his contract selected by the Mets on Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hunter joined the Mets on a minor-league deal in late April and is now up with the big-league club after posting a 4.61 ERA over 13.2 innings with Triple-A Syracuse. The veteran right-hander didn't allow a run over eight frames in 2021 but missed most of the campaign while dealing with a back injury.

Hunter agreed to a minor-league contract with the Mets on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports

EDGE Analysis

The veteran right-hander had a throwing showcase Friday for scouts from multiple teams, and it didn't take long for him to reach a deal. Hunter was with the Mets in 2021 but was limited to four appearances by a back injury, which eventually required surgery. He last saw significant action back in 2020 with the Phillies and had a 4.01 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 25:6 K:BB across 24.2 innings.

Hunter (back) threw for scouts for multiple teams Friday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 35-year-old righty reliever is seemingly back to full health after he didn't see any game action from late May onward last season due to a back injury that ultimately required surgery. According to Ghiroli, Hunter's fastball hit 95 miles per hour on multiple occasions during Friday's throwing session, putting him roughly in line with his pre-surgery velocity levels. Hunter will likely have to settle for a minor-league deal with an organization and prove his health over several appearances at the Triple-A level before getting another look in the majors.

Hunter (back) was traded from the Mets to the Rays along with Matthew Dyer on Friday, with Rich Hill going the other way, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hunter is presumably included in the deal largely as a salary dump. He's been out with back pain since late May, with reports from earlier this week indicating he may not pitch again this season. He'll be a free agent this offseason.