If Ike Davis doesn’t clean it up quickly in the cleanup spot, ticket him for a trip to Triple-A Las Vegas.
The Mets cannot afford to waste Matt Harvey’s starts. They cannot afford to have Davis continue to strike out in crucial situations.
Manager Terry Collins is counting on Davis to drive in runs, and he put the first baseman back into the fourth spot yesterday. The clock is ticking. If the lefty doesn’t hit, he could be sent down to the minors.
Such a move might be just what Davis needs to get his swing together.
Davis hit rock bottom yesterday when he struck out with runners on first and third with one out in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 3-2 loss to the Pirates at Citi Field.
He was fooled badly on a curveball in the dirt by ex-Yankee Mark Melancon. As Davis tossed his pink Mother’s Day bat aside, boos from the crowd of 28,404 cascaded onto the field.
“I definitely let the team down,’’ said a somber Davis, whose mind is spinning as much as his wild swing. “I have to produce more or I won’t play on this level.’’
If Davis had come through with a hit in that situation or even a sacrifice fly, the Mets could have made the most of Harvey’s solid start.
“I need to stop pressing with two strikes,’’ Davis admitted. “I’m telling myself to be shorter and quicker to the ball and see it, but then I’m just not focusing on the ball and I’m swinging at pitches in the dirt that normally I don’t do. Hopefully I can make that adjustment next game and start the rest of the season not doing that.’’
The Mets know they can’t wait too much longer on Davis. They could move Lucas Duda to first base. Yesterday they had Wilmer Flores playing first in Las Vegas.
Davis does not see a minor league demotion just yet.
“I wouldn’t think they would, just because last year when I started playing well I actually contributed and became a big factor in the games,” he said. “I still got time.’’
Davis hit 32 home runs last year. If he continues to struggle on a trip that takes the Mets to St. Louis and Chicago, management might not be so patient. Davis is hitting .129 with runners in scoring position.
The Mets have lost 11 of 15. Davis is hitting .180 with just nine RBIs. He was 0-for-4 yesterday with two strikeouts. He has 39 strikeouts on the year and only 20 hits.
Yikes, Ike.
Here is the worst of it for the Mets. Harvey received his fourth straight no-decision, despite a 1.98 ERA over that span.
“This is way worse, personally,’’ Davis said of this year’s slump. “When I wasn’t doing well and we were winning last year, they were picking me up and that kind of made it a little easier.’’
No one is picking anyone up as the Mets continue to strike out in ridiculous numbers. They suffered 16 strikeouts in Saturday’s loss and another 12 yesterday.
“Ike is going to have to reach down inside and grind out at-bats,’’ Collins said. “I asked if he was up to it, and he said, ‘Absolutely, sign me up.’ It was tough for him today. I know that was a disappointing at-bat for him.’’
One major league executive said he believes if Davis can get his act together, he will be similar to Baltimore’s Chris Davis, who is having a terrific season.
“That’s who Ike reminds me of,’’ the executive told The Post.
To hit like Chris Davis, though, Ike Davis must shorten his swing and focus on hitting the ball up the middle and the other way.
“That is the adjustment he has to make,’’ the executive said.
“I don’t like doing horrible at my job,’’ Davis said.
All bets are off and Las Vegas is in Ike’s future if he doesn’t start hitting.
kevin.kernan@nypost.com