ATLANTA — Ready or not, Frankie Montas’ time with the Mets is near.
There is a “good chance,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday, the right-hander — following a rough stretch of minor league rehab appearances — will be activated from the injured list next week to pitch against the Braves at Citi Field.
Montas, who arrived last winter on a two-year contract worth $34 million, has yet to throw a pitch for the Mets after a high-grade lat strain sidelined him in spring training.
The Mets were realistically left between stashing Montas in the bullpen and placing him in the starting rotation with his rehab clock set to expire Sunday.
Most recently, he allowed five earned runs over five innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.
Overall, he started six games in the minors and pitched to a 12.05 ERA and 2.14 WHIP.
“I am not going to lie: He got hit,” Mendoza said before the Mets faced the Braves. “He got hit around, but we have seen it before where guys in spring training struggle, and they get hit around. And once you put them in a big league game under the lights and you game plan and make adjustments … he’s had success at this level before.
“Hopefully, that is the case here on a guy that pretty much treated this rehab process as spring training and got hit around. We believe in the player, and we want to give him a chance.”
Montas will assume Tylor Megill’s rotation spot.
Megill was placed on the injured list this week with an elbow sprain, and the Mets will use a spot starter in his place Friday in Philadelphia.
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The team has recalled Justin Hagenman from Syracuse, and the right-hander could be used behind an opener against the Phillies, provided he wasn’t needed in relief for Thursday’s series finale at Truist Park.
Mendoza indicated he hadn’t spoken with Montas but watched video of his Wednesday rehab start.
“The first time through the lineup was a lot better, especially with the secondary pitches,” Mendoza said. “He gave up a three-run homer, but we feel like, mechanically, he’s getting there. We need starters here. We signed him to be a starter for this team, and we are going to give him the chance.”
Last week, the Mets placed ace Kodai Senga, who was leading MLB with a 1.47 ERA, on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.
Paul Blackburn has taken Senga’s spot in the rotation, at least until Sean Manaea can return from a strained oblique that has kept him out since spring training.
Manaea is set for a fourth rehab start (and first for Syracuse) on Friday.
It’s likely he will need 1-2 additional minor league starts beyond Friday before he’s considered for activation.
Blackburn started against the Braves on Wednesday and pitched 3 ²/₃ innings, allowing four runs (one unearned) on four hits and two walks.
It was Blackburn’s fourth appearance and second start after opening the season on the IL.
Montas has been working on his mechanics and arm slot, according to a source, and indicated he found his “rhythm” in his latest start for Syracuse.
“It’s not like we’re going to run [Montas] for 90 pitches right away,” Mendoza said. “We’ll wait until he makes a start, and we’ll watch him closely, and we’ll be smart about it.”
Mendoza said that, in a conversation with Montas before his latest outing, the pitcher’s confidence level didn’t seem compromised.
“I didn’t sense anything from him because it’s the minor leagues,” Mendoza said. “It was more about mechanics and pitches.”