Zack Wheeler‘s first three innings on Saturday were great, but once T.J. Rivera booted a grounder in the fourth, the right-hander hit a wall.

Things looked positive for Wheeler who returned from the disabled list prior to the start, but his elevated pitch count and lack of control knocked him out of the game before the fourth inning ended.

Wheeler allowed two runs, walked two and struck out four as his ERA on the season sits at 5.01. The already overworked bullpen then had to pitch 6 1/3 innings in relief against the statistically worst team in baseball.

“I thought he was pitching pretty good and we made the error,” manager Terry Collins said. “Then after that, I don’t know if he lost focus or what it was. Two base on balls, he hadn’t walked anybody up until that point, I don’t think. That’s what I took from it.”

Thankfully, the Phillies played like the statistically worst team in baseball as the Mets were able to scratch out a 7-6 win on the strength of a few long balls, most significantly Asdrubal Cabrera‘s two-run drive to cap off a four-run seventh.

Wheeler had a string of six good starts from May 9-June 7 where he went at least five innings allowing three runs or less, but in two consecutive outings after that, the righty surrendered 15 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings.

Regardless, Collins says he isn’t concerned with Wheeler’s outing on Saturday.

“If he would have come back on five days or something, I would be concerned,” Collins said. “But you know, when you’re off for 10 or 11, to get back out there – again, I thought he was doing OK early in the game. But…after we made the error, it just seemed like it kind of unraveled him a little bit.”

However, the 3 2/3 innings put a strain on the Mets bullpen who now have to rely on Rafael Montero to go at least six innings on Sunday to save the relief corps from another bullpen type game.

Bottom line, Wheeler has to pitch better if the Mets are going to have any chance at contending this season.

“Baseball is a ninety percent mental game and the other half is physical,” Yogi Berra once said.

Wheeler needs to have confidence in his game and put his skills to work.

He has the skills. We’ve all seen them.

“I have to pick it up,” Wheeler said “I really didn’t show it today, but personally I feel I’m on the right direction. Maybe the next start I can turn it around.”

We all know what Wheeler can do, because he showed bursts of it earlier this season.

The main problem I see with him, like what happened with the Rivera error on Saturday, is that Wheeler gets too trapped in his head.

As a pitcher, you have to have short-term memory. Things are going to happen behind you that are out of your control and you have to bounce back and work through the adversity.

Yes, Wheeler missed two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery so there will be rough patches, but not like the previous two outings before Saturday where he completely imploded.

Here’s to hoping that Wheeler can get back to a good spot, maybe talk to someone like Jacob deGrom that can help him out, and gear up for the remainder of the season.

If the Mets want to even taste a chance of the playoffs, it’s going to have to start now with help from Wheeler.