PORT ST. LUCIE — Joey Lucchesi began camp behind other Mets pitchers in terms of offseason build-up and ultimately got left in the rearview.
The left-hander was optioned to Triple-A on Friday, as the team began rationing innings for pitchers.
Lucchesi pitched just once in the Grapefruit League, on Tuesday when he allowed four earned runs on four hits and a walk over 1 ¹/₃ innings against the Nationals.
Lucchesi initially was a candidate to replace injured Kodai Senga in the starting rotation.
He will now continue lengthening out in the minor leagues.
Tylor Megill appears to be the front-runner for Senga’s spot, but Jose Butto is also a contender.
“[Lucchesi] was a little bit behind when he reported to camp, some of the guys were ahead of him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
“He was kind of in the middle of camp when he was ready to pitch in games and that is one of the reasons he’s got to go back down now and continue to build up. We have got to get his pitch count up.”
Last season Lucchesi pitched to a 2.89 ERA in nine starts for the Mets.
The Mets also optioned reliever Reed Garrett to Triple-A.
Catcher Austin Allen and infielder Rylan Bannon were reassigned to minor league camp.
Senga will receive imaging on his right shoulder in the next 7-10 days, according to president of baseball operations David Stearns, before he is cleared to begin throwing.
Senga, who last month was diagnosed with a moderate strain of the right posterior capsule in the shoulder — he received a Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection — will need a full spring training buildup that will take him into May.
The Mets’ top prospects won 4-2 against their Nationals counterparts in the inaugural Spring Breakout at Clover Park.
Ryan Clifford — acquired last summer in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros — stroked an RBI double as the starting first baseman.
Clifford noted a difference between the Astros and Mets.
“The Mets have a lot of staff, a lot of people to go to,” Clifford said. “Houston is similar, but I think there’s a lot more people here that we can reach out to and are helping us in our careers and it’s good to have that.”