Vargas skipped in rotation

PHILADELPHIA — Here’s a guarantee: Jason Vargas’ next scheduled start won’t bury the Mets.

But that’s because the beleaguered lefty’s next start will come in a simulated game Tuesday, after manager Mickey Callaway informed Vargas his turn in the rotation will be skipped.

With off days scheduled for Monday and Thursday, Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland can wait until the Mets begin a series against the Marlins on May 21 before reinserting Vargas into the rotation.

Vargas, who is 0-3 with a 13.86 ERA in three starts, seemed to take the news in stride.

“You have to look yourself in the mirror and understand the job wasn’t getting done,” Vargas said before the Mets beat the Phillies 3-1 on Friday. “You’ve got the opportunity to work on a few things and get some reps in that you normally wouldn’t be able to get in. I understood, totally got it and I need to be able to go out there and help the ball team win and these past three starts haven’t been it.”

Vargas, who in February signed a two-year contract with the Mets worth $16 million, has allowed a staggering 26 hits in 12 ¹/3 innings — opponents are hitting .433 against him. In his last start, against the Reds on Tuesday, he surrendered four earned runs on six hits and two walks over four innings.

“He’s just not really throwing through the ball with intent right now,” Callaway said. “He is kind of guiding it and wondering if he is going to make the right pitch, things like that.”