Robert Stock struggles as Mets face pitching question after ugly loss snaps win streak

PITTSBURGH — Robert Stock had a day to remember last Sunday when in his return to a major league mound after thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he gave the Mets five effective innings against Miami. But on Saturday he resembled the back of his baseball card: a 36-year-old journeyman who has largely scuffled following a solid rookie season as a reliever with the Padres in 2018.  Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.Stock couldn’t throw enough strikes against the Pirates, and the ones that did land in the zone were peppered all over the ballpark.

With Stock’s rough outing went the Mets’ four-game winning streak in a 9-0 loss at PNC Park. Such is life for a club that has struggled to fill a starting rotation this season.Rookie lefty Zac Thornton has mitigated some of that disappointment, but Kodai Senga’s banishment to the bullpen hasn’t helped. And in the 30 hours leading into Monday’s trade deadline, the Mets traded an underperforming starter (Freddy Peralta) and pitcher on the cusp of returning from a rehab assignment (Clay Holmes) to the Rays and Cubs, respectively.

Those trades — the latter of which also sent Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs — netted the Mets four minor league prospects. It doesn’t help that the organization’s top pitching prospect, Jonah Tong, has struggled at Triple-A Syracuse.Most recently the right-hander surrendered five home runs in a start. So the Mets will have to decide whether to give Stock another chance or dig deeper into the farm system for another arm.

Senga has shown improvement recently in a relief role and has expressed his desire to team officials to return to starting at some point.But it’s unclear if the Mets are willing to go that route with the erratic right-hander. Overall, Stock allowed eight earned runs on nine hits and five walks with four strikeouts over three innings before his removal at 80 pitc...