Mets Demote Struggling Starting Pitcher to Minor Leagues

He's going down.

On Thursday's off day, the New York Mets demoted struggling starting pitcher Tylor Megill to Triple-A Syracuse.

The Mets will replace Megill on the roster with reliever Vinny Nittoli, who they recently acquired via trade from the Chicago Cubs.

In his latest start on Wednesday, which came against the Houston Astros, Megill gave up five runs, four earned, and walked four across just 2.1 innings.

Megill has battled consistency and command issues this season, posting a 5.17 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 15 starts this year.

“(He is) focusing too much on his mechanics. … He just needs to get back to who he was, just throwing the baseball,” Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said of Megill's latest outing.

Megill was in line to take the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Megill's brother, Trevor, was also sent down to the minor leagues by the Brewers on Thursday.

While It's unknown, who will take the right-hander's spot in the rotation, Joey Lucchesi makes the most sense. 

Lucchesi recently won the honor of International League Pitcher of the Week for retiring 22 of the 24 batters he faced in a recent outing.

Lucchesi holds a 1.32 ERA with 15 strikeouts across 13.2 innings his last two starts for Triple-A Syracuse. 

In five starts for the Mets this season, Lucchesi is 1-0 with a 4.43 ERA, 95 ERA+, 1.343 WHIP and 17 strikeouts across 22.1 innings. 

The Mets will need Lucchesi or someone else to take Megill's spot until Jose Quintana (rib surgery) is ready to rejoin the big-league rotation. Quintana recently began a rehab assignment and has hurled two outings thus far. But he will likely need a few more before being deemed ready to come off the IL.