Mets’ A.J. Minter eyes healthy 2026 after ‘frustrating’ season-ending lat injury

The Mets will be without A.J. Minter for the rest of this season and perhaps into next year, with the left-hander set for surgery to repair a torn lat.

Minter, speaking for the first time Friday since making the decision to undergo surgery next week, said the procedure comes with a 10-12 month rehab process.

If all goes well, Minter said he could have a “normal-ish” spring training and then not be far off when the regular season begins.

But he also noted the surgery — necessary because he tore the lat off the bone on April 26 against the Nationals — is rare, so there’s not much information to go off of.

The 31-year-old signed a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets in the offseason that contains an opt-out after this year.

Minter’s season ended with Atlanta last year with hip surgery in August.

He called the injury “super frustrating.”

“I was starting to feel so good,’’ said Minter, who hadn’t given up a run in his previous 12 appearances and struck out 13 batters in 10 innings during that stretch. “I wish I knew what caused it.”

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He pointed to an increase in velocity and added range of motion in his hip as possibilities, but Minter’s main focus, he said, is getting healthy for 2026.

“I was excited to help this team,” Minter said. “It’s a special team. I’ll help this team next year.”

Minter’s injury, coupled with Danny Young’s Tommy John surgery, leaves the Mets with just one lefty in the pen, Genesis Cabrera.

Mark Vientos sat for a second straight game, with Mendoza saying he wanted as many left-handed hitters in the lineup against Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon.

Mendoza said Jeff McNeil would have started in center field if he hadn’t a hamstring cramp Wednesday. So McNeil served as the DH, with fellow lefty hitter Brett Baty at third base for two consecutive games and Vientos on the bench again.

The Mets injured starting pitchers are getting closer to a return, with lefty Sean Manaea (oblique) ready to play catch off a mound and up to 120 feet and right-hander Frankie Montas preparing to face hitters in live batting practice in about a week for the first time since suffering a lat strain.

Paul Blackburn is scheduled to start for Triple-A Syracuse Sunday and is “progressing well,” Mendoza said.

The right-hander — sidelined with right knee inflammation — is being built up to 70-75 pitches before he returns to the rotation.

Mendoza pointed to Juan Soto “maybe not hitting as many balls on the ground as earlier” as one of the reasons his numbers have begun to return to normal.

Soto entered Friday in the midst of a seven-game stretch in which he’s gone 9-for-26, with six extra-base hits (two doubles and four homers) with six walks in his last 33 plate appearances.

“He’s a special hitter,” the manager said. “We knew at some point it was gonna turn around. … He’s using the whole field and getting the ball off the ground a little more.”

Ronny Mauricio will have to wait until Saturday to play his first game with Double-A Binghamton after Friday’s game was canceled because of inclement weather. Binghamton is set to play Reading on Saturday.

In five games with Class-A St. Lucie, Mauricio, on a rehab assignment from a torn ACL suffered playing winter ball two offseasons ago, went 2-for-15 with a pair of stolen bases and played second base, third and shortstop.

MLB announced Friday that Francisco Lindor was credited with a stolen base from Wednesday’s game after the play was originally ruled defensive indifference. And an error charged to Pete Alonso on Monday was changed to a hit for Arizona’s Alek Thomas.