The Mets’ fallback options with crucial Kodai Senga decision looming

The Mets’ Game 5 plans are still in the works.

Luis Severino will pitch in Game 3 on Wednesday. Jose Quintana will get the nod for Thursday’s Game 4.

A frustrated Kodai Senga walks off the mound after giving up two runs in the first inning of the Mets’ 9-0 Game 1 loss to the Dodgers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Winning Monday and returning to Citi Field all tied up ensured that there will be a Game 5 Friday, for which Kodai Senga is currently lined up.

Senga, whose velocity was down and whose accuracy nose-dived in a disastrous Game 1 start Sunday, is at least in the conversation.

“Right now everything is [physically] fine,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Senga during Tuesday’s workout day in Queens. “He’ll go out there and play catch and see where we are.”

Senga later threw in the outfield with several coaches’ eyes on him, including pitching coach Jeremy Hefner’s. After the session, high-fives were exchanged.

If the Mets pivot from Senga, David Peterson would be the most logical alternative.

David Peterson could be an option for Game 5. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

Peterson, a reliable starter during the regular season and a flexible reliever in the postseason, threw 6 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in October before the Dodgers scored three runs (two earned) in 2 ¹/₃ innings against Peterson on Sunday.

Peterson has piggybacked off Senga starts and is not fully built up: He threw 40 pitches in Game 1 of the NLCS.

It is possible that Peterson, one of just two southpaws (with Danny Young) in the bullpen, is used in relief Wednesday or Thursday.

Tylor Megill works out ahead of the NLCS. Robert Sabo for NY Post

If so, Tylor Megill — who has pitched just once this month, allowing one run in 1 ¹/₃ innings in Game 2 of the NLDS — could get a start or provide several innings of relief behind Senga.

There is no clear Plan B for the Mets after Senga imploded, blaming a fault in his mechanics for an outing in which he recorded four outs, walked four and let up three runs.


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“We’ll see how he feels today and how we’re going to get there to Game 5 and we’ll make a decision,” Mendoza said.


Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ Game 3 starter, is a righty who has fared worse against lefties (.890 OPS) than righties (.833 OPS) this season.

With righty-hitting Jose Iglesias owning a .485 OPS in the postseason, the Mets have a decision to make at second base, where lefty-swinging Jeff McNeil could get his first start.

“We’ll see. Those are only conversations there,” Mendoza said. “Buehler is kind of neutral. So I could go with righties. I could mix a lefty in there.”

Kodai Senga grimaces during the fist inning in which he gave up two runs in Game 1 of the Mets’ 9-0 loss to the Dodgers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post


Mendoza believed Brandon Nimmo, who is battling plantar fasciitis, will be in the lineup.


Severino is the Mets’ lone Gold Glove finalist.

The righty, who has never won the honor, will face off with the Braves’ Chris Sale and the Phillies’Zack Wheeler for the award.


Freddie Freeman has played through an ankle injury that has severely limited his mobility.

Even with colder, Northeast weather for the next three days, his manager believes Freeman will continue playing every day.

“It’s a day-to-day conversation,” Dave Roberts said, but: “I just don’t see any world that he doesn’t start a playoff game in the NLCS. But, again, if he can’t do it, that’s very telling.”

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