David Peterson's rotation spot safe with Mets despite struggles

SAN DIEGO — David Peterson, who has a 5.89 ERA with nearly one-third of the season complete, seems to have a secure spot in the Mets’ rotation.

After Peterson had his meltiest meltdown yet — recording just one out against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday — manager Luis Rojas said the Mets are "very confident" he can work out his issues while remaining in the starting five.

"He’s had bad outings and he’s given us a lights-out outing," Rojas said of the 25-year-old. "He gets better from the struggles, and he’s going to get better organically with his experience. He’s still a young pitcher. The uncertainty of last year led him to probably join us a little sooner than expected, and he performed. So there’s some things he’s learning about himself, about the league, about a lot of different things that come into play from a regular-season standpoint, a 162-game season."

Two days off next week — Monday and Thursday, bookending a series in Baltimore — will afford the Mets a degree of rotation flexibility. But with Carlos Carrasco not excepted back until late this month at the earliest, and Noah Syndergaard out until at least August, Peterson remains a significant player for the Mets.

If they wanted to send Peterson to Triple-A — a level at which he has never pitched, having gone straight to the majors last year, when there was no minor-league season — they have a couple of options at Syracuse.

Lefthander Thomas Szapucki has the most prospect status of the bunch and is the only one on the 40-man roster. He has a 2.12 ERA in four games.

Righthanders Jerad Eickhoff (3.82 ERA) and Franklyn Kilome (4.01 ERA) also are in Syracuse.

Lucchesi vs. old team

Joey Lucchesi will start Friday against the Padres, the only organization he had known prior to getting traded to the Mets in January.

Getting dumped bothered him, he said, and facing his old mates provides "a little bit" of extra motivation.

"Of course I want to strike every one of those guys out, but I gotta stay content, do my job," Lucchesi said. "I did get traded. I was a little upset. I’ve adapted to my new team. I’m here. I’m still playing ball. I’m happy with my new team. Of course I want to deal against my past team, of course those feelings are still there. But I’m just a chill, content guy. I’m going to go out there and be myself and hit the glove. That’s all I have to say about that."

There’s Guillorme

Infielder Luis Guillorme began a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday (though the game was rained out). Rojas said he could return by the end of next week.

Guillorme has been out with a right oblique strain since April 30.

Celebrating Koosman

The Mets will retire Jerry Koosman’s No. 36 on Aug. 28 during a ceremony at Citi Field before a game against the Nationals.

The organization took that jersey number — worn at the time by then-manager Mickey Callaway — out of circulation in September 2019 and planned to formally retire it in June 2020. That plan was scrapped by the pandemic.

Koosman, 78, is the winningest lefthanded pitcher in franchise history with 140 victories.

Ticket talk

Citi Field capacity will increase to 78% — 33,875 fans — on June 11, the Mets announced.

Of those seats, 90% will be in fully vaccinated sections.

Tickets for the rest of the season go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Extra bases

Pete Alonso’s absence from the lineup was a day off, "nothing more than that," Rojas said. He played three days in a row after returning from the injured list without a rehab assignment . . . Jonathan Villar (tight right hamstring) also was out. Rojas called it a "precaution" . . . The Mets sent outfielder Cameron Maybin and infielder Wilfredo Tovar outright to Triple-A Syracuse. Both cleared waivers after being designated for assignment this week . . . Diamondbacks broadcaster Bob Brenly announced that he volunteered to take a six-game leave of absence as he seeks sensitivity training. He was criticized after making an on-air comment about Marcus Stroman’s do-rag this week.