No left turn

Amazin’s aren’t sweating lack of extra southpaw in ’pen

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets won’t necessarily leave spring training with a second left-hander in their bullpen, but as pitching coach Dave Eiland surveys the rows of lockers inside his clubhouse, something different exists from a year ago: options.

In Luis Avilan, Daniel Zamora and Hector Santiago, there is realistic hope at least one can emerge to complement Justin Wilson, who arrived last month on a two-year contract worth $10 million.

“We are fortunate to have that many lefties in camp, so let the battle begin,” Eiland said Thursday.

That battle will commence with the start of Grapefruit League play on Saturday. In Avilan, Zamora and Santiago, the Mets have three different type pitchers, playing into the versatility general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has sought in trying to mold a roster.

Avilan, 29, spent last season with the White Sox and Phillies, pitching to a combined 3.77 ERA and 1.368 WHIP in 70 appearances. The Mets signed him to a minor league deal that contains an opt-out before spring training concludes. Avilan called it “frustrating” that he couldn’t secure a major league deal.

“I feel like I had a nice year last year and been having good seasons over a number of years,” said Avilan, who has also pitched for the Braves and Dodgers. “I had little problems in my shoulder at the end of the year, but they weren’t big problems that required surgery. It was just sore. I pitched a lot last year and it’s completely normal.”

Zamora, 25, is regarded more as a lefty specialist, despite impressive numbers against right-handers. The former Stony Brook standout earned strong reviews for his work with the Mets over the final six weeks of last season, when he appeared in 16 games and pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.000 WHIP.

“I think we have a pretty good idea of what he’s all about,” Eiland said. “He’s got that slider he changes speeds with and can change his shape sometimes, different arm angles. That really played well last year. He didn’t back down from anybody. We put him in some big spots against some of the tougher lefties in the National League and he got the job done for us.”

Zamora — a 40th-round draft pick by the Pirates in 2015 who arrived before last spring training in a trade that sent Josh Smoker to Pittsburgh — has been told by Eiland there are certain areas in which he needs to improve.

“I have a tendency where I don’t finish my pitch and I just cut myself off a little bit short,” Zamora said. “So it’s finishing my pitch really and improving my fastball command because the slider is always going to be there.”

Santiago, 31, was an All-Star selection as a starting pitcher with the Angels in 2015. He pitched primarily from the bullpen last season with the White Sox and posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.588 WHIP in 49 appearances. The Mets signed him to a minor league deal — which also contains an opt-out — pri- marily as rotation depth, but he will be considered as a potential swingman.

“That helps on a team, when you have a guy you can just plug in the rotation, you can put him in long relief, you can bring him in for just a lefty if you want,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “We talk a lot about versatility in our lineup and on defense, but versatility for a pitcher means a lot, too, so he is also a valuable guy and I am glad he chose to come here.”

Callaway says the Mets won’t carry a second left-hander in the bullpen unless there is a worthy candidate. The manager says he is comfortable enough with Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Famila and Seth Lugo against lefties that an additional left-hander isn’t paramount.

Even so, just having such options is a bonus.

“We have some real good ones,” Callaway said. “I am really excited about the competition for that spot.”