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The Mets will have a decision to make with Jose Quintana, whose fourth rehab start was a short one.
The lefty, who had stretched out to 47 pitches and four innings previously, lasted just 2 ²/₃ innings with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday in what could have been his last rehab start.
Quintana threw 64 pitches in which he allowed two runs on four hits and three walks against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, the Yankees’ affiliate.
He has yet to reach five innings, which may prevent him from joining the rotation the next time through.
The hope has been that Quintana can return in early July, but it is possible his club debut gets delayed so he can make a fifth rehab start.
When he does return from bone-graft surgery he required in March, he could prompt a question: Will the Mets, who have found every reason to provide extra rest for their starters, go to a six-man rotation?
David Peterson’s solid start Tuesday — finally showing the form he has flashed in the past — has given the team a route to carrying an extra starter, if it wants to.
“If I did, I wouldn’t jinx us by saying it,” manager Buck Showalter said before the Mets lost, 5-4, to the Giants at Citi Field. “If [Quintana] gets through [Friday], gets through his work day and we decide that he’s not going to get another start, [then we will talk].”
With a rotation led by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, a combined 78 years old, plus the 36-year-old Carlos Carrasco and Kodai Senga — who had pitched weekly in Japan — the Mets have tried to give their starters as many extra days rest as possible.
The injuries and underperformance of the group, though, has thus far prevented a six-man rotation.
Peterson was sent to Triple-A in mid-May with an 8.08 ERA.
Tylor Megill was demoted with a 5.17 ERA last week.
But Peterson, summoned again, shut down the Brewers in a win Tuesday and is expected to start Sunday in the series finale against the Giants.
If the lefty continues to perform and Quintana pitches well upon his return, the Mets would have to decide how much they value a six-man rotation.
“Hoping that we can continue adding some pieces back that make everybody better,” Showalter said of Quintana.
Jeff McNeil, who entered play 2-for-27 in his past eight games, swatted a pair of RBI doubles down the left-field line. It was his second straight game with an extra-base hit.
Last year’s batting champion has struggled and hit just .259 this year.
Showalter said he had not considered giving McNeil the same kind of several-day break that worked with Daniel Vogelbach.
“Sometimes you push guys forward instead of pull them back when they’re struggling,” Showalter said of the fiery McNeil, who often wears his frustration. “You try a little bit of everything.
“I haven’t heard that thought [of giving him a break], but we’ll see. I hope that isn’t a need.”
Tommy Pham (3-for-4 with a homer) had his third straight multi-hit game and is batting .363 in his past 26 games.
Starling Marte was out of the starting lineup amid a poor stretch in which his OPS has dropped to .634.
The outfielder pinch-ran for Luis Guillorme in the ninth inning of a one-run game and was thrown out trying to steal second.
Through translator Alan Suriel, Marte said he has the same confidence he “always had my entire career” that he still can play like the All-Star he was last season.
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