ST. LOUIS – Carlos Carrasco’s return to boost the Mets rotation isn’t so imminent.

After manager Luis Rojas indicated in recent days that the right-hander could be within a minor league rehab start of joining the rotation, the Mets on Thursday moved Carrasco to the 60-day injured list, meaning the soonest he would be eligible to pitch for the team is May 31.

An industry source said Carrasco hasn’t been feeling right in his rehab from a torn a right hamstring and will slow down the process. Carrasco last pitched Tuesday in a simulated game. He has not cleared the checkpoint to pitch in a minor league game Sunday, according to a source.

Carrasco tore the hamstring in mid-March, and the original estimate was a recovery time of six-to-eight weeks.

“We reassessed the timeline and there’s some things we still want to test,” Rojas said after the Mets beat the Cardinals 4-1 at Busch Stadium. “Pitching, competing, game-speed stuff, everything that is going to come into play when he is activated with us. This is just a reassessment time to make sure that when he comes to us there is nothing in his way.”

Without Carrasco, the Mets will likely look to Joey Lucchesi to remain in the rotation. Lucchesi, who is tentatively scheduled to start Saturday against the Diamondbacks, has pitched to a 10.13 ERA in four appearances for the Mets.

Another rotation possibility, Jordan Yamamoto, was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse before Thursday’s game. The Mets selected reliever Tommy Hunter for the roster spot, and Carrasco’s move to the 60-day IL cleared the needed space on the 40-man.

Jacob deGrom played catch before the game, and Rojas reported the right-hander felt good in his first throwing since he was scratched from his scheduled Tuesday start with swelling in his right lat. The expectation is deGrom will throw a bullpen session Friday at Citi Field, potentially placing him in position to start two days later against the Diamondbacks.

Rojas said the Mets might add a backup outfielder to the roster following Brandon Nimmo’s placement on the injured list this week. Khalil Lee could be the likely option because he is already on the 40-man roster, but the team also has Johneshwy Fargas as a possibility. For the last two games Patrick Mazeika, a backup catcher who traveled with the team as part of the taxi squad, was activated to give the Mets another bat off the bench.