Mets likely reverting to five-man rotation

Three days after the Mets transitioned to a six-man rotation, Terry Collins said the Mets are likely reverting back to a five-man rotation.

None of the Mets’ starting pitchers were in favor of the six-man rotation, and that’s what led to the front office quickly relenting.

While speaking with reporters prior to Friday’s game, Collins said the Mets were likely going back to a more traditional rotation. Collins said Jon Niese is not pitching for his job on Friday night, but the expectation is that one of the veterans — Niese or Dillon Gee — will be moved to the bullpen.

Gee returned from the disabled list on Wednesday and allowed seven runs (four earned) in four inning of work. Niese has allowed 20 runs over his last 20 innings.

Thoughts:

Terry Collins said on Wednesday that the team might skip Dillon Gee the next time through the rotation, noted on Thursday that Gee would likely make his next start, and said on Friday that the team is likely reverting to a five-man rotation. Got all that?

Going to the six-man rotation in the first place made very little sense — since every one of the starters was worried about their routine being thrown off — and the fact that the Mets are apparently abandoning so quickly is mildly amusing. But it’s also the right thing to do.

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Of the five starters who will likely be remaining in the rotation, both Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard have innings limits that have to be managed. Harvey will likely be capped around 190 innings, and Syndergaard will likely be capped around 170-175 innings.

The plan before the season regarding Harvey was that the team would skip him occasionally and/or give him a few weeks off in order to manage his innings, and that’s the same thing they can do as it pertains to Syndergaard if they so choose.

When the Mets decide to manage Harvey and Syndergaard’s innings, they can bring whoever is in the bullpen out to make a spot start and/or turn to Rafael Montero or Steven Matz.

Matz, currently tearing up the PCL for Triple-A Las Vegas. A six-man rotation without Matz made very little sense and it would’ve been hard for the Mets to keep him down there had the six-man lasted. Now that the Mets are apparently going back to a five-man rotation, Matz will likely have to wait a little while longer before he gets the call to the majors.