With the Mets' starting pitching depth (or lack thereof) being tested already with Marcus Stroman out indefinitely and Rick Porcello struggling badly on Sunday night, they have yet to name a starting pitcher for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox in Boston.

Michael Wacha will start Monday night's series opener, but the question of who takes the ball on Tuesday remains an open one.

One option who can be eliminated is Corey Oswalt, who gave up five runs on seven hits (including three homers) in 4.0 innings in relief of Porcello on Sunday. Oswalt was sent to the Mets' alternate site after the game, with a corresponding roster move expected Monday.

Whether the player called up Monday will be an extra bullpen arm or Tuesday's starter remains to be seen, but the Mets have a bunch of different ways they could turn. Let's examine them, starting with the most talked about...

SETH LUGO

It's quite clear that the Mets feel Lugo is more valuable as a high-leverage reliever than as a starter (his career ERA as a starter is a bit above 4.00), but that has not stopped the questions directed toward Luis Rojas and Brodie Van Wagenen regarding whether the team would consider shifting Lugo to the rotation.

As of this weekend, the answer was still no, and with good reason. Even if the Mets wanted to stretch Lugo out to start, it would take them quite a bit of time to get him to the point where he could handle the workload of a regular starter.

The Mets can still start Lugo on Tuesday, though, if he is an opener in what would be a bullpen game. Lugo pitched 2.0 dominant innings on Opening Day last Friday and hasn't pitched since. But it's unclear how many innings he'd be able to go (maybe three?) and how many pitches he'd be able to throw if he was asked to start on Tuesday.

Also unclear is how long the Mets would be without Lugo in the bullpen if he started Tuesday's game and it was a one-off.

DAVID PETERSON

Despite not having yet pitched above Double-A, Peterson is probably the Mets' best option to fill in while Stroman is out. That speaks more to their lack of depth than Peterson's readiness, but the 24-year-old is highly thought of and viewed as a potential mainstay in the back of the rotation

Complicating things when it comes to Peterson (at least for Tuesday) is that the Mets can guarantee an extra year of team control of Peterson by waiting until the next time through the rotation to call him up. He is also not on the 40-man roster and will have to be added if/when he's promoted.

Another non-40 man candidate is Erasmo Ramirez.

FRANKLYN KILOME OR ANOTHER 40-MAN OPTION

Unlike Peterson, Kilome is on the 40-man roster. As are Jordan Humphreys and Thomas Szapucki, though the two of them -- especially Szapucki -- seem like very unlikely options at this point.

If the Mets turn to Kilome, who returned last season after Tommy John surgery, it will be the big league debut for the still-interesting prospect who was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Asdrubal Cabrera trade a few years ago.

A BULLPEN GAME STARTED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN LUGO

If the Mets don't go with any of the above options, they could theoretically open Tuesday's game with a reliever such as Chasen Shreve or Drew Smith (or someone they call up on Monday).

However, if the Mets turn to a pitcher unlikely to give them more than two innings, they'd be decimating their bullpen for a second time in three days, having turned to it in the third inning on Sunday.

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