After Carlos Mendoza warmed up Adrian Houser in the ninth inning Tuesday to potentially protect an overused bullpen, the Mets now are planning to start Joey Lucchesi on Wednesday night in Philadelphia, The Post has learned.
The Mets did not announce the decision following their 4-0 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field. But the choice they were strongly favoring was to summon Lucchesi to make his first appearance of 2024, sources told The Post.
Houser was pulled from the rotation after his ERA climbed to 5.23 in a May 2 start against the Cubs. With the Mets in a period in which they are playing 13 straight days and 26 times in 27 days, Houser was going to be re-inserted into the rotation Wednesday.
But the Mets pen has been deployed a lot recently. Mendoza had hoped to stay away from using Sean Reid-Foley for a second straight day and third time in four days, but felt he had no place else to turn with a 2-0 deficit in the ninth on Tuesday.
But once Reid-Foley’s pitch count began to mount while allowing the Phillies two runs, Houser began to warm up. He got hot enough in preparation that he was no longer considered an option for Wednesday’s start despite never getting into Tuesday’s game.
Instead, Lucchesi, who last pitched last Wednesday for the Syracuse Mets, was now expected to be promoted to make the start. In seven Triple-A starts this season, the lefty has a 2.58 ERA. Lucchesi was 4-0 with a 2.89 ERA last year in nine starts with the Mets.