Mets feature new-look, healthier starting rotation to kick off second half

In their final dozen games before the All-Star break, the Mets started games with Huascar Brazobán, Chris Devenski, Brandon Waddell and Justin Hagenman. 

The Mets managed to go 7-5 during that stretch, but that kind of pitching lineup isn’t conducive to long-term success. 

They’ll look a lot different when they begin the second half against the Reds at Citi Field. 

The Mets announced their starters for the three-game series Thursday, with Sean Manaea going Friday, followed by Clay Holmes and David Peterson. 

Kodai Senga and Frankie Montas would be set to start the next two. 

Peterson is coming off being named an NL All-Star, and the Mets are counting on Manaea, Senga and Montas staying healthy the rest of the way after all three battled injuries throughout the first half.

Over the course of the season, the Mets have the fourth-best rotation ERA (3.38), but it’s just average (4.17, 15th in the majors) since June 1. 

They’ve gotten just four starts from Montas, who suffered a lat injury during the spring, and Manaea finally made it back from oblique and elbow issues to make his season debut in the last game before the break, when the lefty struck out five in 3 ¹/₃ innings of relief. 

And Senga returned from being out for a month with a hamstring injury with four scoreless innings. 

“It’s a lot to ask for, but if the three of them can stay healthy, they look a lot better,’’ one AL scout said. 

Additionally, the Mets will have to continue to monitor Holmes’ innings as the right-hander has already blown by his previous major league high of 70 innings in a season with 103. 

He hasn’t completed six innings in any of his past six starts. 

And more help could be on the way, if needed, with Brandon Sproat coming off three straight scoreless starts at Triple-A Syracuse in which he has allowed seven hits in 18 innings and Nolan McLean having struck out 20 batters over 11 innings in his previous two starts. 

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Matt Allan, the former top pitching prospect whose career was sidetracked by a pair of Tommy John surgeries — as well as an additional revision on the first UCL procedure — hasn’t pitched since June 10 with High-A Brooklyn. 

He’s been sidelined with elbow soreness and is on the 7-day injured list, although there’s no structural damage and he has resumed throwing. 

The 24-year-old hadn’t pitched in a game since 2019 before returning with Low-A St. Lucie in April. He pitched seven games with St. Lucie before moving to Brooklyn, where he’s thrown 15 innings. 

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While Francisco Alvarez looks to revive his career with Triple-A Syracuse after an ugly stretch both at the plate and behind it in Queens — with The Post’s Jon Heyman reporting Alvarez is expected to be back with the Mets “sooner rather than later” — the Amazin’s have had a bright spot with at least one of their young players, as Ronny Mauricio has hit well in his past 14 games after coming back from knee surgery. 

Mauricio missed all of last season and, following a slow start with the Mets after being called up this year, he entered the break with an OPS of .899 in his past 14 games. Each of his past four starts has come at third base, where Mark Vientos continues to struggle. 

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Vientos, getting at-bats at DH with Jesse Winker and Starling Marte on the IL, closed out the first half by going 7-for-19 with three extra-base hits. … The Mets announced the signing Thursday of the No. 38 pick, infielder Mitch Voit.