A Mazzilli Reunion In Tampa

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.—Second baseman L.J. Mazzilli and his father Lee Sr. got to experience a first in their pro baseball careers on March 22. For the first time, they were in uniform for the same game—albeit in the Grapefruit League.

The Mets borrowed L.J. from minor league camp for the four-hour bus ride across the state to Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, where Lee, a Mets first-round pick in 1973, served as a special instructor for the Yankees.

The father and son posed for a selfie during batting practice to capture the moment.

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“It’s awesome. Are you kidding me?,” said Lee, who completed a 14-year major league career in 1989. “This is probably, until he gets to the big leagues, the best day for me professionally, to see us together.”

The Yankees excused Lee from camp on March 15 so that he could watch the Mets play in Jupiter, Fla., against the Marlins. That day, L.J. walked, stole second and scored the tie-breaking run on a wild pitch by reliever Kyle Barraclough in the ninth inning.

However, Lee merely watched 25-year-old L.J. from the press box that day.

L.J. opened last season serving a 50-game suspension for a second positive test for a drug of abuse.

“Unfortunately, in life, you cannot go back on a bad decision that was made, and in my case, one that I very much regret,” he said at the time. “After everything my loved ones, supporters and the Mets have given me, especially an opportunity to chase my childhood dream, I couldn’t be more ashamed and sorry.”

Drafted in the fourth round in 2013 out of Connecticut, Mazzilli hit .263/.337/.334 in 86 games at Double-A Binghamton last season after returning from the ban.

“For a dad, being an evaluator of your son is so hard,” Lee said. “We know how hard the game is. And when you watch your son play, there’s nothing you can do.

“He’s got a chance. He can swing the bat a little bit. He’s paying his dues right now. I’m excited, because I think he has a pretty good future ahead of him.”

METAMORPHOSES

• Venezuelan shortstop Luis Carpio had surgery to repair a right labrum tear, and the 18-year-old will miss the season.

• Second baseman Dilson Herrera’s eighth-inning homer lifted Colombia to a 2-1 win against host Panama on March 20 in the finals of a World Baseball Classic qualifier.