Now in 'pen mix, Curtiss learned from elite rehab mates

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Florida’s Treasure Coast features ideal weather this time of year, before the scorching sunshine and heavy humidity of summer set in. By that time, most Mets are back north for the season, save for the few that must stick behind on rehabilitation programs. For them, Port St. Lucie can be a lonely place.

So imagine John Curtiss’ delight to find baseball royalty waiting to fill his time at Clover Park last summer. Curtiss, who signed with the Mets in April to continue his Tommy John rehab after the Brewers non-tendered him, took advantage by picking the brains of Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, two superstars who were both in Port St. Lucie rehabbing injuries of their own.

From deGrom, Curtiss took notes on how the two-time Cy Young Award winner aligns his lower body, which allows him to command his fastball as well as anyone in the game. From Scherzer, Curtiss soaked up the expertise of a pitcher who “knows as much about baseball as clearly anybody ever.”

“It was really unfortunate for the team to have Jake and Max out, but I got to learn from them,” Curtiss said. “I was telling Buck [Showalter], ‘It sucked for y’all, but I got three months with Jake and I got two months with Max, so I was watching a lot of very high-quality bullpens, interacting with them, asking them questions.’”

Not that Curtiss was lacking in expertise. Before undergoing his second career Tommy John operation in 2021, the Texan had established himself as one of baseball’s better relievers, relying on his fastball-slider mix to produce a 2.86 ERA over 69 1/3 innings from '20-21. Surgery not only derailed his upward trajectory but also resulted in a surprise non-tender, when the Brewers chose to release Curtiss rather than pay him to rehab for a year. The Mets pounced on the opportunity, offering Curtiss $770,000 with a $775,000 team option for 2023.

It was another example of owner Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend on small-but-impactful transactions, which can become lost in the glitz of eight- and nine-figure deals. In Curtiss, the Mets now have an optionable reliever who will compete for a roster spot alongside about a dozen other hopefuls. Curtiss is the only pitcher in camp on a guaranteed deal who’s not assured an Opening Day slot, which is more a quirk of his unique contract situation than anything else. Even if Curtiss doesn’t make the team, he figures to play a prominent role throughout the summer.

“That’ll be a competition that I’m paying a lot of attention to,” general manager Billy Eppler said.

For now, Curtiss intends to continue sharpening his command in bullpen sessions before showing the Mets what he can do in Grapefruit League action. His fastball velocity is back up into the mid-90s, where it was before surgery. Curtiss is 17 months removed from Tommy John surgery, coming off a relatively heavy winter throwing progression that allowed him to feel game-ready by January. During his rehab, Curtiss even picked up a changeup, which he’ll tinker with in March to see how hitters respond.

“I’m really just worried about getting back to my best version of myself -- go out there, execute, do my job and let all that stuff fall into place as it will,” Curtiss said. “I’m freaking thrilled to be with a contending team. Are you kidding me? This is, like, the place to be right now. We’ve got an owner who’s committed to winning, a front office that’s committed to winning … I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”