With David Peterson out until at least after the All-Star break, the Mets are going to have to fill two rotation spots for the time being.
Tylor Megill, who will start Monday night, seems to have a hold on one of those spots after two solid outings in June, but that fifth spot could soon belong to Corey Oswalt, who allowed three runs over four innings against the Yankees Sunday night, but did so by making really just one mistake, which Gio Urshela muscled over the wall in right field.
"He could be (in the mix) right now," Rojas said of Oswalt, who has a 3.48 ERA this season. "We have different guys that we can talk about and definitely Corey is one of them. He's got the poise. He's got some experience now. This kid has been doing this for I think three years now, where he comes up and helps, and at this point, he's got the experience to come in.”
The Mets need their “fifth” starter just once this week, on Wednesday, and it will likely be Jerad Eickhoff or someone else who gets that start after Oswalt threw 65 pitches Sunday night. Still, Rojas was impressed with what he saw from Oswalt, who may be No. 5 coming out of the break.
"I mean, you guys saw him. He's pitching in Yankee Stadium and with an almost-full house. I don't know the exact capacity. He's just facing those guys and throwing strikes and attacking them and not shying away from it,” Rojas said. “So he's got the poise and he's got the stuff to probably be in one of those spots."
The Mets have quite a solid rotation on the injured list – Carlos Carrasco, Noah Syndergaard, and Peterson, plus Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto – and just acquired Anthony Banda to bolster a Triple-A rotation that includes recently-signed veteran Vance Worley and top 20 prospects Thomas Szapucki and Franklyn Kilome.
The team has the depth, but Oswalt is ready for whatever Rojas needs out of him.
"I'm just going to do what the team asks, whether that be starting or bullpen," Oswalt said. "I feel good with where my stuff is right now and whatever the team needs, I'll fill that role.”
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch