T.J. tries to stay ‘positive’ with every opportunity

T.J. Rivera’s spot in the majors appears safe. His place in the Mets’ starting lineup looks the same.

The versatile Mets infielder, who has been demoted to Triple-A twice this season, tied a career-high in hits after going 4-for-4 in Sunday’s 5-1 win over the Nationals, and is now batting .474 (9-for-19) since being recalled from Las Vegas on Tuesday.

“Right now, he’s one of the keys,” manager Terry Collins said. “You got to put him in the lineup. This guy’s gonna get hits.

“You don’t get to this level, coming where he came from without believing in yourself and what you can do. T.J. Rivera thinks he can hit, and therefore he can hit. He has the knack to get the barrel to the baseball and he does it. He gets sent down, and I’m sure he looks in the mirror and he says, ‘I’ve been here before. I got there once, I can get back there,’ and that’s the way he approaches it.”

Rivera, a career .324 hitter in the minors, has always produced when given opportunities, but the 28-year-old’s patience has been tested in two seasons with the Mets, as it was during his nomadic minor league career.

In 105 at-bats with the Mets last season, Rivera hit .333. In 117 at-bats this season, The Bronx native is batting .289, and has started the past five games with Asdrubal Cabrera and Neil Walker out with injuries.

“I just try to keep a positive mentality no matter what happens, whether it’s being sent down or not playing that day,” Rivera said. “I’m always looking forward to an opportunity to play. It’s not easier, but you get a little more comfortable in your at-bats, you see more [pitching] and it’s easier to react to things. The opportunity’s nice, and I’m just trying to help contribute in any way possible.”

Cabrera did fielding work, in a T-shirt and shorts, prior to the game. ... Yoenis Cespedes was given the day off after making three consecutive starts. … Brandon Nimmo received his first at-bat of the season, flying out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.

Jose Reyes entered Sunday batting .197, but Collins put the shortstop in the twohole in the lineup after two straight two-hit games.

“Really, a kind of pat him on the back for how he’s been swinging,” Collins said before the win.

Reyes went 0-for-5, dropping his average to .193.