The Mets’ struggling rotation will be tweaked.
Tylor Megill, who has lacked consistency and often control, was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, according to the transactional wire, one day after he lasted just 2 ¹/₃ innings in a loss in Houston.
Megill, who entered spring training as a depth option, instead has started the most games of any Mets starting pitcher.
After injuries to Jose Quintana and Justin Verlander opened up spots, Megill was solid in April, worse in May and has pitched four times — twice well, twice poorly — in a wild June.
After Megill walked 12 batters in 17 ¹/₃ innings this month, the Mets appear to have felt they had to make a change.
Megill said he was “pissed off” after he allowed five runs and walked four Wednesday, when the Mets’ offense scored eight runs but he and the bullpen could not pull out a victory.
After the loss, which dropped the club to 34-40, pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said he thought Megill was “focusing too much on his mechanics. … He just needs to get back to who he was, just throwing the baseball.”
Megill’s rotation spot will have to be filled Tuesday, when the Mets host the Brewers.
It is possible the Mets, who are playing down a roster spot during Drew Smith’s 10-game, sticky-stuff suspension, bring up a reliever to deepen the roster until Tuesday.
When Megill needs to be replaced, the spot likely will not go to Quintana, who has been expected to return from rib surgery in early July.
The most likely internal replacement would be Joey Lucchesi, who was optioned in mid-May after five starts with a 4.43 ERA.
The lefty has pitched well with Triple-A Syracuse, allowing two runs in 13 ²/₃ innings in his past two outings.
Jose Butto also could be an option, though the righty has a 7.63 ERA in his past seven starts with Syracuse.
A wild card would be Mike Vasil, the club’s No. 8 prospect who recently was promoted to Triple-A after posting a 3.71 ERA in 10 Double-A Binghamton starts.
Vasil, though, has allowed seven runs in his first 6 ²/₃ innings with Syracuse.
Megill, meanwhile, has flashed brilliance and rawness since the start of 2022, when he was excellent with a high-90s fastball.
Injuries followed — first biceps inflammation and then a right lat strain — that led to Megill returning at the end of the season as a reliever.
He opened camp on the outside of the rotation with David Peterson, but injuries forced both into the starting group and neither performed.
Peterson made eight starts, posted an 8.08 ERA and was demoted in mid-May.
Wednesday, after another outing in which Megill could not find the plate, it was clear he was frustrated.
“I’m not helping the team out because I’m not doing my job,” said Megill, whose ERA rose to 5.17.