Robert Stock is a 36-year-old journeyman who doesn’t fit into the Mets’ plans for next season, yet he remains in the team’s starting rotation after an ugly performance against the Pirates last Saturday.

Ideally, the Mets would be receiving a look at their future in that rotation spot over the next several weeks — Jonah Tong, Jack Wenninger and Jonathan Santucci are the prime candidates, all at Triple-A Syracuse — but until somebody steps up, the Mets may very well stick with Stock, who is scheduled to face the Nationals on Friday at Citi Field.

The team received a boost with Zac Thornton’s emergence this season in joining Nolan McLean to give the team a second solid rookie starter. The lefty Thornton has pitched to a 2.78 ERA in eight starts for the Mets.

But Freddy Peralta’s departure at the trade deadline has left a vacancy the Mets would love to fill with a highly regarded prospect.