Jose Butto’s sinker keeps Astros grounded over two scoreless innings

PORT ST. LUCIE — Jose Butto cited the three ground balls he produced over two innings Sunday as evidence the relatively new pitch he has discovered is working.

After learning a sinker last season from reliever Grant Hartwig, the right-hander worked to refine it during the offseason and then unleashed it against the Astros’ split-squad during the Mets’ 3-1 exhibition victory at Clover Park.

“Last year was the first time I threw it, but now I feel more comfortable,” Butto said.

Butto, who used the sinker mostly against the Astros’ right-handed hitters, fired two shutout innings and allowed three hits, striking out one over 39 pitches.

Butto also mixed in his slider and changeup with a four-seamer that sat in the 94-95 mph range during his outing.

“He attacked the strike zone and was able to use all his pitches,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

To Francisco Alvarez, who was behind the plate, the story was Butto’s sinker.

“He used it a lot today and I think that pitch can help him in doing better than last year,” Alvarez said.

It was a positive first step this spring for Butto, who is among the candidates to begin the season in the rotation with Kodai Senga sidelined by a shoulder strain. Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi are the other primary possibilities for that spot.

“I am not thinking about that, I am just thinking of work and controlling what I can control,” Butto said. “It’s me versus me, so I just try to do my job.”

But the Mets could also look to Butto as a reliever capable of giving the team multiple innings. It’s a role that was discussed for Butto late last season.

“Last year I talked with [Jeremy] Hefner and told him you can put me in the bullpen, one inning, three innings, four, no matter what situation I am going to be ready,” Butto said, referring to the Mets’ pitching coach. “Just give me the ball and I am going to be ready for any situation.”

Butto, 25, was an impressive fill-in for the Mets last season, when he appeared in nine games (seven starts) and pitched to a 3.64 ERA. Butto produced worse numbers at Triple-A Syracuse (where he had a 5.93 ERA in 19 starts), attributing his struggles to the difficulty he had adjusting to the automated strike zone.

“For him it’s more about mentality and maintaining that attack mentality, because his stuff plays,” Hefner said.