SAN FRANCISCO -- This was a spot start, maybe a bit of an audition, but certainly not the type of thing that was meant to last. Injuries and a suspension had burned up four-fifths of the Mets’ projected rotation. Their initial wave of Minor League depth was already in the Majors. Forget an exceptional performance. From Joey Lucchesi, the Mets merely wanted innings.

Making his first Major League appearance since Tommy John surgery nearly two years ago, Lucchesi gave the Mets that and then some, and then some more. In a 7-0 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park on Friday, Lucchesi delivered what was easily the best start of any Met this season, and likely the finest of his entire career: seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. In terms of game score -- a measurement of a starting pitcher’s overall effectiveness -- it was Lucchesi’s most exceptional performance (game score of 79) since becoming a big leaguer five years ago.

“It was sick, man,” Lucchesi said. “I think this is my best outing.”

Shaky early, Lucchesi put two of the first three batters he faced on base, then walked the leadoff man in the second. He admitted to some nerves. But when Lucchesi struck out Heliot Ramos to escape the second inning, his confidence surged. He told himself, “Oh, I got this,” and from that point forward, he did. Beginning with the strikeout of Ramos, Lucchesi retired 14 of the final 17 batters he faced, recording all nine of his punchouts over that stretch.

Pete Alonso provided the requisite offense with a two-run homer in the fifth inning off Anthony DeSclafani, becoming the first player in Mets history to hit 10 home runs before the start of May. But even Alonso, who finished with four RBIs and has punished some of the league’s top pitchers this season, was mesmerized by what Lucchesi was able to do.

“He was straight carving,” Alonso said, referencing the “funk” and “uniqueness” in his teammate’s left-handed delivery.

“You could see his confidence grow as he kept getting through innings,” added manager Buck Showalter.

For Lucchesi, this start was special for three distinct reasons. First, about 50 of the East Bay native’s family members and friends were in attendance, including his parents and brother. Lucchesi grew up an A’s fan in Newark, Calif., just a half-hour drive from Oracle Park.

In years past, he has told his parents not to attend his games because their presence made him nervous. But given both the location of this one and his long absence from the Majors, Lucchesi decided to extend the rare invite.

“I’m going to tell them to come whenever they want now,” Lucchesi said, laughing.

The second reason for Lucchesi’s joy was the importance of this performance for the Mets. Missing four of their regular starters due to a trio of injuries and Max Scherzer’s suspension, the Mets have leaned heavily on pitchers such as David Peterson, Tylor Megill and José Butto -- all of whom were originally slated to be in Triple-A Syracuse’s rotation. They might all be in the big leagues by next week. Given that context, Showalter described Lucchesi as “another guy dialing it up in a time of need.”

But this success was also personal for Lucchesi, who has spent the past 22 months grinding his way back from Tommy John surgery. Before undergoing the operation in June 2021, Lucchesi felt like he had finally carved out his place in the big leagues, relying on an uptick in velocity to produce solid results. Surgery changed that, as well as his mindset. While rehabbing, Lucchesi worked on his diet, his breathing and his repertoire, honing his cutter so that he could become a true three-pitch pitcher.

He called the Tommy John rehab a “frustrating” experience, particularly given the lack of clarity regarding his future. When Lucchesi reported to Florida as a healthy pitcher this spring, he ranked no higher than eighth on the Mets’ starting pitching depth chart.

“And then fast forward to this outing,” said Lucchesi, who figures to receive at least one more start next week. “A lot of emotions. You just have to try to stay patient and wait for that moment, and that moment for me was tonight.”