MLB

Mets ‘relieved’ as Wheeler’s shoulder passes key test

ST. LOUIS — Not all is dreadful in the Mets’ universe. The organization had a rare cause to celebrate Wednesday — amid the team’s recent putrid play — when tests revealed stud pitching prospect Zack Wheeler has no structural damage to his right shoulder or in that vicinity.

Wheeler, who had complained of soreness in his right collarbone earlier this week, was examined at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and diagnosed with a mild inflammation of the AC joint in the shoulder.

Wheeler received a cortisone shot and departed to rejoin Triple-A Las Vegas. He will miss only his start tomorrow before returning to the mound next week for Las Vegas.

“I am very happy and relieved — very relieved,” manager Terry Collins said before the Mets’ 4-2 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. “We’ve got to protect ourselves sometimes. When we get bad news, you can’t have an air of ‘woe is us’ kind of an attitude, but I was certainly very worried.

“Anytime you have a kid with that kind of talent, when they talk about arm stuff and particularly when they talk about the shoulder area, it scares you to death. It’s great news. He’s going to miss a start, and that’s no big deal and I know he will be back out there. I don’t care what anybody says, I know he’s still close to getting here.”

Wheeler, who is 2-1 with a 3.74 ERA in eight appearances, has made three straight strong starts for Las Vegas. The Mets probably could use him sooner rather than later, given their rotation problems.

Matt Harvey has been among the best pitchers in the major leagues this season, but behind him the Mets are thin. Dillon Gee has mysteriously struggled and Shaun Marcum hadn’t lasted five innings in any of his three starts entering last night. Jeremy Hefner has been inconsistent, but the Mets expected that when they made him their fifth starter.

Though the Mets are in no hurry to start Wheeler’s arbitration clock a year early, they could promote him before June and gamble on what will ultimately become the cutoff date for Super 2 eligibility. One projection has June 4 as the absolute “safe” date for avoiding Super 2, but Wheeler may already be in the clear.

Super 2 arbitration status is granted based on service time, to the top 22 percent of players with two-plus years in the major leagues.

But the Mets also want assurance Wheeler is ready before they promote him.

“He’s progressing, and I think the results have shown that,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “I don’t think there’s any one magic thing we’re looking for. We talk on a start-by-start basis and we’ll make a decision based on when we think the time is right.”

The fact Wheeler was still hitting 97 mph on the radar gun in the eighth inning of his last start had Mets officials optimistic the collarbone soreness wasn’t related to a major problem.

But the Mets also weren’t going to send him back to the mound without a checkup by team doctors.

“We were somewhat conservative by having him checked out,” Ricco said. “But I still think it was the right decision.”

mpuma@nypost.com