Diaz throws perfect inning in intrasquad game as knee rehabilitation ramps up

Mets closer Edwin Diaz took another significant step toward returning from a torn patellar tendon, hurling a perfect inning Tuesday in an intrasquad minor-league game.

Diaz ended the encouraging outing by striking out fast-rising Mets prospect Jett Williams on a backfield at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, where the righthanded reliever’s trumpet-heavy entrance song “Narco” blared.

The 1-2-3 frame marked Diaz’s first time facing hitters in a game setting since he suffered the catastrophic knee injury nearly a year ago during the World Baseball Classic.

“I just feel like I need competition. I’m ready,” Diaz said afterward, according to SNY. “I’m throwing my pitches like I want to. I feel 100 percent ready, so I need games, I told them. … Today was really good.”

Diaz threw 14 pitches, with his fastball ranging from 96 to 98 miles per hour, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.

“He came out good, so all positive there,” Mendoza said on the ESPN broadcast of Tuesday’s game between the Mets and Yankees.

Tylor Megill continues to make his case for a spot in the Mets

Megill looking sharp:

rotation. The hulking righthander hurled three hitless innings and struck out six Tuesday against a Yankees lineup missing many of its regulars, marking Megill’s latest strong outing of spring training.

Megill issued a pair of walks to shortstop Anthony Volpe and plunked second baseman Oswald Peraza but was otherwise dominant, at one point striking out four Yankees in a row during his scoreless start at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.

The 6-foot-7 Megill, 28, now boasts a 1.13 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 8.0 innings over three appearances this spring. He threw 29 of his 49 pitches for strikes Tuesday, with his fastball regularly hitting 94 miles per hour and sometimes reaching 95.

Mcneil making progress:

Tuesday also brought a positive injury update for Jeff Mcneil, whose ailing arm is “feeling a lot better,” Mendoza said. The Mets recently shut down the utility man with left biceps soreness.

“The downtime the past couple of days helped,” Mendoza told reporters. “We’re going to give it another couple of days before we put him on a hitting progression.”

Mcneil was scheduled to go through a workout and participate in defensive drills Tuesday and could play defense in a minorleague game Wednesday.