Logic says there is a point when the Mets will pay a price for their pitching injuries, the latest being Tylor Megill going down again for an extended period with a shoulder strain. So far their depth has served them well but avoiding a significant cost is likely going to depend on the impending returns of Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom.

Meaning there is probably only so far they can go with both David Peterson and Trevor Williams in the rotation.

For that matter, Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco, and Taijuan Walker have each had their ups and downs as well this season.

Remember when the Mets had the best starting-pitching ERA in the majors for the first few weeks of the season? Well, that ERA is now 4.01 and it ranks eighth in the National League and 17^th in the majors.

In short, since Megill went on the IL the first time after his May 11 start with bicep tendinitis, followed by Scherzer a week later with a strained oblique, the starting pitching has been mediocre overall.

The Mets have continued to win, going 17-9 in the games since Scherzer’s injury, but a lot of it was due to some hot hitting by an offense that is leading the majors in runs scored as of Friday.

“The Mets have done a really good job of piecing wins together,” a scout of a National League team told me Friday. “They look like a team that’s playing with a lot of confidence, like they know they can score runs and find ways to win.

“But I think their pitching is going to have to be better over the long haul if they’re going to hold off the Braves. I like Walker, Bassitt, and Carrasco but they’ve been inconsistent at times, and remember, Walker had a bad second half last year, probably because he hadn’t pitched much the previous two years, and Carrasco is a guy in his 30s who didn’t pitch a lot last season because of injuries.

“Also, the thing is the Mets need their starters going deep into games because their bullpen is pretty thin. Getting Scherzer back at the top of the rotation would make a huge difference. As far as deGrom, to me he would be a bonus because he hasn’t pitched in almost a full year now and you just don’t know if he can stay healthy.

“The thing the Mets have in their favor is they still have some time to see if they get those guys back before the trade deadline (Aug. 2). If they’re short on pitching at that time they’ll be looking to trade for a proven starter.”

In that case, the question would be how much the Mets might give up for potential trade candidates such as the Oakland A’s Frankie Montas, the Cincinnati Reds’ Luis Castillo, or the Texas Rangers’ Martin Perez.

The Mets would rather not part with any of their handful of blue-chip prospects, especially with a farm system that is relatively thin overall, but their win-now mentality probably would rule that day if it comes to badly needing a starter.

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