The Mets' Game 5 plans are still a work in progress.
Luis Severino will pitch in Game 3 on Wednesday. Jose Quintana will play in Game 4 on Thursday.
A return to Citi Field with a win on Monday would ensure Friday's Game 5 with Kodai Senga currently in the lineup.
At least Chiga is in the conversation after a disastrous start to Game 1 on Sunday that saw his ball speed drop and his accuracy drop significantly.
“Now everything is like that. [physically] He's okay,'' manager Carlos Mendoza said of Chiga during Tuesday's training in Queens. “He’ll go out there and play catch and see where we are.”
Chiga then pitched in the outfield under the attention of multiple coaches, including pitching coach Jeremy Hefner. At the end of the session, we exchanged high fives.
If the Mets were to pivot away from Chiga, David Peterson would be the most logical replacement.
A reliable starting pitcher in the regular season and a flexible reliever in the postseason, Peterson pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings in October, then the Dodgers pitched 2 1/3 innings against Peterson on Sunday. He scored 3 points (2 earned).
Peterson has piggybacked on Chiga's starting role, but hasn't fully developed. In Game 1 of the National League CS, he threw 40 pitches.
Peterson, one of only two southpaws in the bullpen (along with Danny Young), could be used as a reliever on Wednesday or Thursday.
If that happens, Tyler Megill, who pitched just once this month and gave up one run in 1¹/₃ innings in Game 2 of the NLDS, could start or reliever a few times behind Chiga.
There's no clear plan B for the Mets after Chiga exploded due to mechanical flaws in a game in which he had four outs, four walks and three runs allowed.
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“We'll see how he feels today and see how he goes into Game 5 and then we'll make a decision,” Mendoza said.
Walker Buehler, the Dodgers' Game 3 starting pitcher, is a right-handed pitcher, but he has struggled against left-handed pitchers (.890 OPS) more than right-handed pitchers (.833 OPS) this season.
With right-handed hitter Jose Iglesias posting a .485 OPS in the postseason, the Mets will have to make a decision at second base, with left-hander Jeff McNeil likely to make his first start.
“Let's see. It's just a conversation there,” Mendoza said. “Mr. Buehler is more of a neutral person. So I could go right-handed. You can also mix in left-handedness.”
Coach Mendoza believed Brandon Nimmo, who is battling plantar fasciitis, would be in the lineup.
Severino is the Met's only Gold Glove finalist.
The right-hander, who has never won the honor before, will be competing against Chris Sale of the Braves and Chris Sale of the Phillies. Zack Wheeler wins the award.
Freddie Freeman has been playing with severely limited mobility due to an ankle injury.
The manager believes Freeman will continue to play every day, even if the weather in the Northeast gets colder over the next three days.
“It's a daily conversation,” Dave Roberts said, “but I can't imagine him not starting a playoff game in the NLCS. But again, if he can't do it… , that is very meaningful.”
