PITTSBURGH — Seth Lugo wishes he could say winning NL Reliever of the Month was a goal, except he didn’t realize the award existed until Saturday, when a Mets public relations official informed him he had won it for July.

“I wouldn’t have heard about the award because I’ve never been around a guy who has won it,” the Mets right-hander said, noting Billy Wagner (July 2007) was the last winner from the team.

Lugo appeared in 12 games for the Mets in July and did not allow an earned run. He entered Saturday as the team’s best reliever by far, at 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 42 appearances. In 52²/₃ innings he had struck out 69, (a ratio of 11.79 strikeouts every nine innings).

The Mets have needed such a standout performance from Lugo in a bullpen that has largely been besieged by underperformance (see Edwin Diaz and Jeurys Familia) and injury (see Justin Wilson) for most of the season.

Lugo encountered one slump — in late June he blew the save in three straight appearances — but otherwise has been close to untouchable.

“I’ve had my ups and downs, but I feel pretty confident in the way the season has gone, my approach to pitching, so I am happy where I’m at right now,” Lugo said before the Mets faced the Pirates at PNC Park.

“I think it’s a matter of staying where I’m at now and my approach to the game, my thought process. I am just going day to day and not thinking about the bigger picture. I’m just thinking about the pitch I am throwing right now and not thinking about three pitchers later or the next batter or the next inning. That is what has really happened in the last month.”

Lugo arrived to the Mets from the minor leagues as a reliever in 2016, but was thrust into the rotation over the final two months because of injuries and helped the team clinch a National League wild-card berth. He was then in the bullpen for all but one appearance the following year. In 2018, he pitched as a starter five times to go with his 49 relief appearances.

But Lugo, who has pitched more than one inning in 14 appearances this season, wouldn’t necessarily agree that having a defined role has benefited him.

“There’s pros and cons to it,” Lugo said. “The good thing is there’s consistent routine, so I am not going to mess with my routines. But one thing when I got a few starts, I remember pitching to 20-plus guys in a row and you change pitches and I think that really helps me pitch multiple innings, because it’s like a start: You’ve got to mix pitches and pitch guys differently.

“When you are pitching two outs, three outs, you generally stick to your strength and go that route, so there’s pros and cons.”

Mickey Callaway has been judicious in his use of Lugo, pitching him on consecutive days only three times this season. And the manager is sure to save his bullpen ace for when the Mets are tied or leading.

The Mets’ ideal scenario for Saturday would have been receiving at least six strong innings from Marcus Stroman and then giving the ball to Lugo for two, if needed.

“It just depends on each game situation, but I have been up a lot,” Lugo said. “I have only pitched once in the last five days, but I have been up every single day, so I have been ready to go or one pitch away from being in the game.”

Does Lugo realize his value to the team?

“I believe so, but I can’t think like that,” he said. “I have to focus on pitch to pitch, that’s how I will stay at my best.”

As for the award he didn’t know existed until Saturday morning, Lugo has heard he will receive a plaque to commemorate his achievement.

“Hopefully it’s got my name engraved in it,” he said.