Max Scherzer is hoping for a Mets debut in the second game of the season

PORT ST. LUCIE – Max Scherzer has his old place of work in his sights.

After testing his right hamstring in a bullpen session on Tuesday, the Mets right-hander indicated he plans to take the ball for his first round of Friday’s rotation in Washington.

The Mets are scheduled to open their season Thursday against the Nationals, but manager Buck Showalter hasn’t named an official starter yet. Tylor Megill, Trevor Williams and David Peterson are the main candidates to start. That start originally belonged to Jacob deGrom, but the Mets ace will start the season on the injured list with a stress reaction on his right shoulder blade. Scherzer was plan B for the opener but gets an extra day because of the hamstring injury.

Scherzer was scratched from a spring training start on Saturday due to leg discomfort. He said he had “hiccups” in his hamstring while running two days earlier.

Scherzer played for the Nationals for 6 ½ years – winning a World Series title with the club in 2019 – before being traded to the Dodgers last July.