Wheeler may no longer be a lock for a spot in the Mets' Opening Day rotation after another rough outing Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Wheeler seemed to be a logical fit in the rotation with Jason Vargas (hand) on the mend, but he has struggled mightily in his last two outings. He was tagged for five runs (three earned) on seven hits over 2.0 innings against the Nationals on Thursday. Per DiComo, Wheeler's poor showing was followed by a lights-out performance from Seth Lugo, who struck out five batters over 4.0 scoreless innings. Wheeler may still retain his spot in the rotation, but there are also real possibilities that he gets moved to the bullpen or even starts the year at extended spring training. Look for Wheeler's situation -- along with Lugo's -- to come into focus over the weekend.