After Jerry Manuel spent the weekend suggesting Rod Barajas needed the lion’s share of starts to get going, and after the manager intimated the Mets couldn’t carry three catchers much longer, the plan has changed.

So not only is Josh Thole, who belted his first major league home Tuesday, not getting demoted, the rookie may actually catch Wednesday’s series finale as the Mets try to avoid a sweep against Arizona.

Manuel said shortly after Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks that he was unsure who would catch the following day. But after Justin Turner was demoted rather than Thole to make room for Oliver Perez, the manager now says he will get his rookie catcher more work.

There’s self-preservation involved with that reasoning. Thole, whose first career homer came off Barry Enright in the eighth inning to pull the Mets within 3-1 at the time, has a six-game hitting streak while mostly serving as R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher. He’s hitting .500 with six RBIs in 24 at-bats this season.

“I think if we are to keep him, we have to play him more,” Manuel said. “It’s the only right thing to do. And if you’re struggling offensively, there’s no use taking out the guys that are a good offensive player. But I also believe that Rod is going to find his way back as well. I don’t know exactly what direction I’m going to do [Wednesday], I’ll be honest with you.”

Said Thole: “I’m willing to do anything. So whatever the role is going to be, I’ll be ready to do it.”

Barajas is 1-for-his-last-21. His last homer came May 31 off San Diego’s Kevin Correia.

Thole, incidentally, did not immediately recover his first home run ball as a memento. He collects those types of souvenirs, too. Thole recalled even saving his first passed ball, which occurred in his Sept. 3, 2009 major league debut -- in his first inning, while catching Pat Misch.

As for Thole’s eighth-inning homer Tuesday potentially saving him from a demotion, Manuel insisted that wasn’t the case. Had the longball rewritten a demotion, it would have been an incredibly similar story to Mike Jacobs’ fairytale beginning. Jacobs had a pinch-hit homer in his debut five years ago, was told he was demoted after the game, only to have the decision reversed. Jacobs then hit three more homers the next three days in Arizona to fuel a trade to the Florida Marlins for Carlos Delgado and launch his career.