Mets’ Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing both getting hit by season’s grind — and a scout is ‘not surprised’

Although A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge are still having standout seasons, the rookie outfielders are dealing with the major league grind.

Ewing enters Friday with 14 strikeouts in his last seven games — the most he’s had in a seven-game stretch all year.

Benge has whiffed 11 times in that same span, also his most strikeouts in a seven-game stretch as a rookie.

“I’m not surprised,’’ said one National League scout who has seen them after the All-Star break. “It’s the second half of the season and they’ve never had a year like this. Pitchers and teams are figuring them out, but I think it’s more the wear and tear of a long season.”

Ewing has the highest strikeout rate of any Met in the everyday lineup (27.1 percent).

Carson Benge reacts after striking out during the Mets’ July 12 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

Ewing, who turns 22 next month, struck out over 100 times in each of his two full seasons in the minors before reaching Queens in May.

“No one expected him to get here this quickly,’’ the scout said. “I would expect those numbers to go down as he gets more comfortable at this level, so I’m not worried about it.”

A.J. Ewing reacts after striking out during the Mets’ July 12 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

The concern the scout did mention isn’t so much about the pair of first-year outfielders, but just how ugly it will get at Citi Field around them down the stretch.

“That will be a tough environment for anyone, especially if things get worse,’’ the scout said regarding the Aug. 3 trade deadline. “They’ve passed the tests so far, though.”

Juan Soto is expected to be back in the lineup Friday after receiving a full day off Wednesday in Milwaukee to rest his calf, which initially caused him to leave the team’s first game after the All-Star break on July 16 in Philadelphia.

Since returning from that soreness — in his left calf, not the right one he strained in April — Soto is 2-for-16 with no extra-base hits, three walks and five strikeouts.

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For most of the season, Soto has been the lone consistent threat in the Mets lineup and remains fourth in the majors with an OPS of .944.

The trade deadline countdown is set to go into full effect this week, with the Mets among the teams in sell mode.

And even though the Mets were off Thursday, there was still important action, with Clay Holmes making his first rehab outing Thursday with Triple-A Syracuse.

The right-hander was off to an excellent start to the season, pitching to a 1.86 ERA in his first eight outings, before suffering a fractured right fibula that sidelined him for two months.

He threw 45 pitches in a simulated game Saturday, as Holmes was able to maintain some arm strength.

“If he looks anything like how he looked before he got hurt by the time the deadline comes, they’ll get a ton of interest,” an American League scout said of the Mets.