Mets' Ike Davis, Lucas Duda, Jordany Valdespin out of lineup against Pittsburgh Pirates

A few notes as the Mets prepare to take on the Pirates on Thursday night:

1. Manager Terry Collins put a priority on loading the lineup with righthanded bats against Pirates lefty Jeff Locke. So, that means Ike Davis, Lucas Duda and Jordany Valdespin will watch as the Mets go with Justin Turner, Juan Lagares and Marlon Byrd.

Collins said the slumping Davis figures to be back in the lineup on Friday, even thought he Pirates are slated to start another lefty, Wandy Rodriguez.

2. The Mets are discussing how to proceed with righthander Francisco Rodriguez, who is nearing a return to the big league club. General manager Sandy Alderson said Rodriguez will likely pitch in a higher-level minor league game before he's activated off the disabled list. He has been working his way back from right elbow inflammation related to offseason surgery.

3. According to Alderson, Jenrry Mejia will pitch for Class-A Port St. Lucie on Saturday. It will be his first minor league game since being sidelined this spring since with forearm tendonitis. However, the Mets placed veteran lefty Pedro Feliciano on the the minor league DL with food poisoning, which he contracted when the team granted him permission to visit his son in Puerto Rico.

The lineups:

Pirates

Starling Marte LF

Travis Snider RF

Andrew McCutchen CF

Garrett Jones 1B

Russell Martin C

Pedro Alvarez 3B

Brandon Inge 2B

Clint Barmes SS

Jeff Locke LHP

Mets

Ruben Tejada SS

Daniel Murphy 2B

David Wright 3B

John Buck C

Justin Turner 1B

Marlon Byrd RF

Andrew Brown LF

Juan Lagares CF

Dillon Gee RHP