Tommy Hunter had a solid Phillies career despite injuries

A former Philadelphia Phillies reliever joined the rival New York Mets spring training roster on a minor-league deal Sunday evening, the team announced — 13-year veteran right-hander Tommy Hunter.

Tommy Hunter was a reliable reliever with the Phillies.

Albeit injuries along the way — including being limited to just 5 1/3 innings in 2019 due to undergoing surgery to repair a right arm flexor tendon — the 34-year-old was a reliable reliever out of the Phillies bullpen. He made 94 appearances with the team across the 2018 through 2020 seasons, and recorded at least three outs and allowed no runs in 50 of them — more than half of his outings.

Sixty-seven of Hunter’s appearances (more than 70%) were scoreless — regardless of the number of outs recorded.

A breakdown of how Tommy Hunter performed in red pinstripes.

• 0 outs recorded, 2 earned runs allowed: 1 appearance (1.1%)
• 1 out recorded, 0 earned runs allowed: 5 appearances (5.3%)
• 1 out recorded, 1 earned run allowed: 2 appearances (2.1%)
• 1 out recorded, 2 earned runs allowed: 2 appearances (2.1%)
• 2 outs recorded, 0 earned runs allowed: 12 appearances (12.8%)
• 2 outs recorded, 1 earned run allowed: 2 appearances (2.1%)
• 2 outs recorded, 2 earned runs allowed: 3 appearances (3.2%)
• 2 outs recorded, 3 earned runs allowed: 1 appearance (1.1%)
• 3 outs recorded, 0 earned runs allowed: 36 appearances (38.3%)
• 3 outs recorded, 1 earned run allowed: 7 appearances (7.4%)
• 3 outs recorded, 2 earned runs allowed: 3 appearances (3.2%)
• >3 outs recorded, 0 earned runs allowed: 14 appearances (14.9%)
• >3 outs recorded, 1 earned run allowed: 6 appearances (6.4%)

If Hunter makes the big-league Mets roster, it will be the third National League team he has pitched for, joining the Phillies and Chicago Cubs (2015). The Indiana native has also pitched for the Texas Rangers (2008-11), Baltimore Orioles (2011-15, 2016), Cleveland Indians (2016), and Tampa Bay Rays (2017).

This past season, Hunter recorded a 4.01 ERA, 1.135 WHIP, and 25-6 strikeouts-to-walks ratio spanning 24 2/3 innings. Eighteen of his appearances were scoreless efforts.

The Mets adding Hunter followed the news that fellow reliever Seth Lugo would miss the start of the season due to elbow surgery. The Phillies made their own share of offseason bullpen additions, but perhaps will still miss Hunter in 2021 — especially if they face him in a Mets uniform.