LONDON -- Jeff McNeil¡¯s hiatus from the starting lineup continued Saturday into the London Series opener against the Phillies, as McNeil found himself on the Mets¡¯ bench for a fourth consecutive game. Ostensibly still the starting second baseman, McNeil has nonetheless been out of the lineup for five of the team¡¯s past seven games.

¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± McNeil said, referring to manager Carlos Mendoza. ¡°He makes the lineup, and I respect that, and I¡¯ll be ready to go.¡±

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Although Mendoza has referred to McNeil as ¡°our second baseman¡± and routinely dismissed talk that this is a platoon, the manager¡¯s actions have spoken louder than his words since veteran infielder Jose Iglesias joined the roster late last week. Since that time, the Mets have faced five left-handed starters and two right-handers. Iglesias has played against every lefty, while McNeil has started the other two games.

In other words, it has been a platoon in the strictest sense of the word, which even McNeil acknowledged Saturday in his first public comments since the situation began unfolding.

¡°I¡¯m not looking too into it,¡± McNeil said. ¡°We have a right-handed second baseman.¡±

Reminded that he has typically played against lefties in the past, McNeil replied: ¡°We¡¯ve also never had a backup second baseman who¡¯s a right-handed hitter. So yeah, he¡¯ll play against lefties.¡±

Struggling against lefties and righties alike this season, McNeil entered Saturday¡¯s play with a .227/.296/.320 slash line overall. Iglesias, in an extremely small sample of 19 plate appearances, has produced at a .389/.421/.444 clip. His .760 career OPS vs. left-handed pitchers is slightly better than McNeil¡¯s .744 mark, and he is generally regarded as a top-flight defensive infielder.

How long this platoon stays in place will depend upon how long Iglesias stays hot -- and how long McNeil continues to slump. In the interim, McNeil has been taking daily batting practice on the field, which he doesn¡¯t always do when he¡¯s playing every day. Both Mendoza and McNeil expect him to be back in the starting lineup on Sunday for the first time in a week, when the Mets face right-hander Taijuan Walker.

¡°I¡¯m going to continue to say Jeff McNeil is our second baseman,¡± Mendoza said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to it other than four lefties here, Iglesias playing well -- I¡¯ll give him another start. Jeff will be fine. I know it¡¯s been six days or so since he¡¯s been in the lineup, but he¡¯ll continue to work, and he¡¯ll get going.¡±