Royals’ Seth Lugo has proven Mets wrong with All-Star nod as starter

ARLINGTON, Texas — Seth Lugo seems too happy to be where he is to be upset about where he was.

The Royals righty is in a rotation, a starting job that he finally received and fully ran with all the way to Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

To reach the top of the baseball world, he had to escape from the depths of the Mets’ bullpen, typecast as a reliever for most of his six major league seasons in Queens.

Every offseason during his time with the Mets, Lugo said, he would build himself up as a starter.

He was given a shot early in his career, beginning as a swingman in 2016 before making 18 starts and pitching to a 4.71 ERA in 2017.

He won a spot in the 2018 rotation, beating out Zack Wheeler for the final spot, but Wheeler impressed in his first start in Triple-A that season and immediately was called up, pushing Lugo back to the pen.

In those days, a Mets starting staff led by Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Wheeler created a greater need out of the bullpen than the rotation.

Lugo was confined to a multi-inning reliever role that he often thrived in but rarely satisfied him.

Mets’ Jose Iglesias performs hit song ‘OMG’ at All-Star Game festivities

“I wasn’t going in and saying, ‘Hey, I can start, put me into the rotation,’ ” Lugo said Monday from Globe Life Field. “I understood the guys in front of me in the rotation there.

“But I would tell them: ‘I’m ready when you guys need me.’ ”

Lugo pitched too well — posting a 3.48 ERA in his seven-year Mets career — as a reliever, hurting his own case to be shifted into the role he wanted.

The Mets thought they needed Lugo the reliever too much to continue trying out Lugo the starter.

From afar, Lugo has proven his former team wrong.

Lugo the starter is an All-Star and had a strong case to be the AL starter, posting a 2.48 ERA in a majors-most 20 starts.

There are reasons for Lugo, a 34-year-old who has evolved into a star in the job he always wanted, to be bitter about the people who denied him that job for so many years.

Teoscar Hernandez edges out Bobby Witt Jr. in thrilling final round for narrow Home Run Derby win

He could use his new status as an All-Star to call out the doubters.

Instead, he used his new status as an All-Star as reason to make a couple calls toward the doubters: his former pitching coaches.

Lugo spoke over the phone with Dan Warthen (Mets pitching coach from 2008-17) and Dave Eiland (2018-19) about a week ago.

“I reached out to them, said ‘Thanks for everything,’ ” Lugo said. “I learned a lot of lessons from them, and now I’ve made the All-Star team.”

The Mets always knew that Lugo could spin a curveball better than perhaps any pitcher in baseball.

But the 34th-round pick in 2011 came with far lower expectations, generally lower velocity and was effective in relief.

Lugo remained a believer in his ability as a starter longer than the Mets did.

In his first taste of free agency, he signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Padres and proved it in pitching to a 3.57 ERA in 26 starts last season.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR STARTING LINEUP NEWSLETTER

He has exploded into stardom this season, which brought him into a Monday morning breakfast with Pete Alonso.

“I’m so happy for him and his family,” said Alonso, who added he “absolutely” knew Lugo could be a starter. “He acts like a starter; always had a starting pitcher mentality.

“He’s always had different pitches. He’s always read swings. He’s very analytical when he attacks hitters. He’s not just trying to throw his wipe-out stuff all the time.”

Lugo throws eight distinct pitches, a deep repertoire that allows him to be effective later in games.

He can use his curveball often the first time through lineups, then rely more on his slider or slurve and keep hitters from getting too comfortable.

He has continued evolving since his Mets days, though he said he still feels like the same pitcher, “just with more experience.”

That pitcher is a starter — and a star.

“There’s no animosity,” Lugo said of the Mets. “I understand how this game works.”

For the latest in sports, top headlines, breaking news and more, visit nypost.com/sports/