Embattled outfielder Lee gets spring invite

PORT ST. LUCIE — Khalil Lee’s exodus from the Mets was short-lived.

After he was designated for assignment by the team last week, the minor league outfielder cleared waivers and has been brought to spring training by the Mets as a non-roster invitee.

Lee is under MLB investigation after allegations surfaced he assaulted his former girlfriend last May, when he played for Triple-A Syracuse. Lee, in a lawsuit filed against him, is accused of choking the woman and kicking her to the ground.

“We trust the process and we’re letting it run its course,” manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s not something we want to delve into a lot … from a baseball standpoint we’ll handle it the way we’re told to handle it.”

Lee, 24, was demoted to Low-A St. Lucie early last season to work on his offensive approach. He finished the season with a .699 OPS in 108 games in the minors. He appeared in two games for the Mets and in June hit his first major league home run.

➤ Francisco Lindor ’s arrival at camp necessitated the question of whether Jeff McNeil had received his new car. “Not yet,” Lindor said. Early last season, Lindor told McNeil he would buy him a new car if McNeil won the batting title. The second baseman finished at .326 to lead the National League in batting average.

McNeil said two weeks ago that he had sent Lindor a picture of cars he liked.

➤ Max Scherzer and his wife, Erica, recently welcomed the couple’s fourth child, a daughter named Nikki.

“Now life is just crazy,” Scherzer said. “I work two jobs.”

➤ Tommy Hunter was the only player on the spring training roster who hadn’t reported to camp, according to Showalter. The veteran reliever was excused from the report date because of a family matter.