The Mets' pitching staff is quite in flux right now, and I haven't seen a write-up on it yet. I figured it would be nice to try to organize it myself, just for reference. As far as I can tell, it currently looks like the following.

Johan Santana
Mike Pelfrey
Hisanori Takahashi
R.A. Dickey

Francisco Rodriguez
Pedro Feliciano
Fernando Nieve
Oliver Perez
Raul Valdes
Manny Acosta
Jenrry Mejia
Elmer Dessens

The Mets are currently carrying four starters and eight relievers. Here's what the Mets have going forward:

- Saturday, 5/22: Mike Pelfrey

- Sunday, 5/23: Johan Santana

- Monday, 5/24: OFF DAY

- Tuesday, 5/25: R.A. Dickey

- Wednesday, 5/26: Hisanori Takahashi

- Thursday, 5/27: Mike Pelfrey

- Friday, 5/28: Johan Santana

The Mets can actually avoid bringing up another starter until Saturday, 5/29. Unfortunately, Jon Niese will not be eligible to be pulled off the DL until 6/2 on my count, so they are going to need at least one spot start. With so much notice, though, they can reorganize the AAA staff accordingly (depending on if they want Misch or Stoner to make the start).

At the same time, the Mets are going to be adding Ryota Igarashi to the roster soon (probably Sunday, considering he pitched two straight days in AAA and they may as well give him the night off tonight). So, the Mets have three players they can send down: Manny Acosta, Elmer Dessens, and Jenrry Mejia. Two of them will probably be sent down by the end of the month.

There would also be some logic in sending down two pitchers this weekend--perhaps Dessens and Mejia--to bring up Igarashi and an extra bench bat (Hessman, maybe?) to have for the next week, just for old times' sake (I don't think anyone carries 14 hitters/11 pitchers anymore). But I can see the wisdom in expanding the bullpen for the next week; the bullpen leads the majors in total innings pitched and could probably use some reinforcements/time off.

The in-house option of putting Perez back in the rotation is also on the table, but I tend to think they'll reach into the minors for the spot start.

So, to summarize:

1. The Mets are currently carrying four starters and eight relievers; they had been carrying five starters and seven relievers.

2. The Mets have to send someone down this weekend to make room for Igarashi.

3. The Mets will need a spot starter to fill in for Maine/Niese for next Saturday, but the spot starter should only have to make one start, if Niese is on track for a return in early June. Unless Oliver Perez gets the nod, a second bullpen pitcher will have to be sent down to the minors.

And, the unfortunate conclusion: the Mets can navigate the rest of the month without optioning Mejia to the minors, if they so choose.