Mets pitcher Jose Butto throws for Double-A Binghamton. Credit: Julia Jaffee

PHILADELPHIA — Taijuan Walker’s back problem will prohibit him from taking his regular turn in the rotation Sunday, manager Buck Showalter said, but the Mets anticipate he will return to the mound this week. 

In his place, righthander Jose Butto will start against the Phillies and make his major-league debut. 

That the Mets declined to put Walker on the injured was a testament to their belief that he’ll be ready shortly, Showalter said. Walker is due for what Showalter called “a good, strong work day” — including a heavy bullpen session — to test the injury, which the righthander described as a bulging disc. 

“Everything from Tuesday on is in play,” Showalter said. “We feel like he’s going to be a pitcher for us sometime in the coming week.” 

Walker pitching Tuesday against the Yankees would mean bumping Jacob deGrom to at least Thursday against the Rockies. Showalter emphasized that the Mets had not decided yet on that option. 

Butto, 24, is not considered a premier prospect, coming in at No. 15 in the Mets’ system in the recently updated MLB Pipeline rankings. But the team doesn’t have many other options, and Butto already is on the 40-man roster. 

Featuring a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a solid changeup, Butto had a 4.00 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with Double-A Binghamton this year. He was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse less than two weeks ago (at the same time as Brett Baty). 

On Michael Perez’s first day on the job as the Mets’ backup catcher, Monday in Atlanta, Showalter surprised him by asking him to stand up in front of all the hitters and speak during their usual first-day-of-a-series pregame meeting. 

To welcome the new guy, Showalter wanted Perez to tell the team what it was like to play in the World Series, which he did in 2020 with the Rays. Perez, 30, said he kept his comments “short and quick.” 

“I said it was fun, it was a good experience,” he said. “I only have three years and a half in the big leagues. To go to the World Series at that young age, it was pretty special. That’s my goal here, to go to the World Series with this team. This is a pretty good team, a special team. They’ve been doing good all season. It’s good to be part of the team.” 

Showalter said of Perez, who has started three of seven games but is likely to be sent back to the minors upon Tomas Nido’s return from the COVID IL: “Good receiver, good thrower, very engaged, good memory of pitch sequencing, caries scouting reports over into the game. You can see why somebody felt comfortable (playing) him in the World Series.” 

Among those Baty has impressed in these first days of his major-league career: Pete Alonso. 

“He’s a true pro. I’m really happy with how he’s handled himself,” Alonso said. “He fits like a glove right in the clubhouse. Obviously he’s having a really awesome start to his career on the field, but he seems like a great guy . . . He’s been doing a hell of a job.”

The Mets called up lefthander Rob Zastryzny from Triple-A Syracuse, sending down lefthander Sam Clay in his place . . . R.J. Alvarez cleared waivers and was assigned to Syracuse . . . Tyler Naquin walked against Zack Wheeler to snap a streak of strikeouts in eight consecutive plate appearances (one shy of the record for position players). “He’s on a streak of good plate discipline, because he walked in his last at-bat,” Showalter said . . . Showalter learned that Atlanta got a soft serve ice cream machine back in its clubhouse (as it had last year) after taking three of four games from the Mets, the fulfillment of a promise from general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Showalter cracked: "What did they get taken away for losing four of five to us?”

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.

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