JD Davis to avoid compression of Mets playing time

Playing time is about to be cut for the Mets. But it looks like JD Davis won’t be the one to end up on the bench.

His best offensive performance in weeks on Sunday couldn’t have hurt his case.

The Mets third baseman scored four points and scored for the first time in over a month, as the Mets avoided a four-game sweep in Los Angeles with a 7-2 win over the Dodgers.

With Javier Baez back in the lineup on Sunday and Francisco Lindor expected at the start of the week, manager Luis Rojas has some decisions to make. Baez will play at second base and Rojas has suggested that this will move Jeff McNeil to different places. It doesn’t look like McNeil will push Davis off the bench, however.

“It won’t be set in stone, but as you saw McNeil played left field today. He’s going to be spending time in left field, ”said the Mets manager, noting that a split there between McNeil and Dominic Smith is a possibility. “JD, third, did a good job defensively. He’s come a long way, so we want to keep him there, where he’s doing really well, and include his bat in the middle of the roster.

The Mets obviously need to be offended, and Davis at least showed his potential in the road trip finale after failing to deliver in base-loaded situations the previous two days.

Davis hit a single with an opposing run in the Mets’ first three-run inning and added a key two-run in the seventh, his first homer since July 17. He also shot a loaded walk in the ninth. after losing 0-2. The four RBIs were two less than he had amassed all month. He got his hits, but didn’t drive the ball. Part of this could be attributed to left hand injury issues.

Davis tore two ligaments in his hand (one of which was bone) in a swing in late April and did not return until mid-July. Davis told The Post’s Mike Puma in early August that doctors said the hand was 90 to 95 percent and there would be inflammation that could inhibit his swing. He struggled to catch the elevated fastballs, although he circled a Phil Bickford radiator at 95 mph for his circuit.

“He was closer to the ground, it was like he wasn’t that high [with his swing] and he just put the cannon on the ball, ”Rojas said. “It’s good to see the fit.”

Davis’ big day came at an important time for the Mets, who are in desperation mode after losing seven games to the Braves in the eastern NL. It was also imperative that Davis produce if he is to stay in training.