Mets Notebook: Luis Guillorme placed on IL, Jacob deGrom’s next start pushed back and more

PHILADELPHIA — Luis Guillorme was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, retroactive to April 29, with a right oblique strain.

The Mets quietly announced Guillorme’s injury less than an hour before the team’s series-opening first pitch against the Phillies. Infielder Jose Peraza was called up to replace him on the bench.

The super-utility infielder last played on April 25 against the Nationals and, as has been the case for the majority of the season so far, only appeared in the ninth inning for defensive purposes at third base. Guillorme’s last big-league at-bat came on April 24, also in the ninth inning against Washington. The 26-year-old started just three games out of his 14 appearances for the Mets this season.

It’s unclear when or how Guillorme strained his oblique, but depending on the severity, it’s the type of injury that suggests he could be rehabbing for four to six weeks. His absence is a huge blow to the Mets’ bench, especially because Guillorme is one of the team’s most talented fielders who can play anywhere in the infield. That Luis Rojas used Guillorme in 74% of Mets games so far this season is an indicator of how much the club will miss his defensive prowess over his uncertain recovery time.

Rather than using their ace on regular rest, the Mets will use a fifth starter to open their next series in St. Louis.

The team’s schedule this week, which featured a two-game Red Sox series sandwiched between off days, gave the Mets the option to forgo a fifth starter until Tuesday against the Cardinals. The club decided to push up that fifth starter, or bullpen game, to Monday and start Jacob deGrom on Tuesday on six days of rest.

The Mets manager attributed deGrom’s recent workload for the reason behind his next start being pushed back one day. DeGrom on Wednesday returned to the mound on a normal five days of rest following his complete-game shutout over the Nationals last week. In his two-hitter against Washington, deGrom threw 109 pitches. In his last start against the Red Sox, he hurled 93 pitches and stated displeasure over his mechanics after the loss. Rojas noted deGrom’s pitch counts in his past two outings as further rationale for the delayed start.

“As early as we are, we’re going to be in May already,” Rojas said. “We expressed this in the past, when we’ve done the extra day, is that we want everyone the whole year… We just want to keep guys fresh.”

The Mets have not yet announced whether they’ll go with an opener Monday in St. Louis, or use stretched-out starters like Joey Lucchesi, who was optioned to the team’s alternate site, or Jordan Yamamoto, who was solid for the club in spring training games.

DeGrom in his career actually pitches better when he gets more rest in between starts. He has a career 2.25 ERA when he pitches on six or more days of rest and a 2.71 ERA on the routine five days between outings. DeGrom’s complete-game shutout over the Nationals last week also came on six days of rest.

The expected return dates for the Mets’ rehabbing pitchers are starting to come into focus.

Carlos Carrasco, who increased his workload to five innings Thursday in a Port St. Lucie simulated game, is still on track to be activated “in the second week of May,” per Rojas. Carrasco won’t be ready in time to slot into the rotation against the Cardinals next week when the Mets will need a fifth starter.

Seth Lugo, who threw his second bullpen session on Thursday, is penciled in to return to the Mets bullpen by mid or late May. The next steps for Lugo include facing live batters and potentially throwing in a minor-league game with High-A Brooklyn or Triple-A Syracuse before joining the big-league club.

Noah Syndergaard, who has continued to throw mid-to-upper 90s fastballs against live batters in his shortened sim games, is due back to the rotation in mid-June.