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Justin Verlander #35 of the Mets looks on against the Washington...

Justin Verlander #35 of the Mets looks on against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Credit: Jim McIsaac

Justin Verlander will make his first and only minor-league rehab start on Friday afternoon for Double-A Binghamton. The Mets’ affiliate moved the game against Akron from 5 p.m. to 1 p.m. because of the threat of rain in the evening. 

“Trying to get ahead of the weather,” Mets manager Buck Showalter said on Thursday. “Just kind of fit, weather-wise, and making sure he got it in. And proximity — it’s not that far.” 

Plus, Showalter said, “Binghamton’s nice this time of year.” 

Verlander has yet to make his Mets debut because of a major teres strain (the area of his shoulder near his armpit) that cropped up just before the season opener.  

Verlander is expected to throw about four innings. If all goes well, the 40-year-old will make his Mets debut on May 3 or 4 at Detroit. Verlander started his career with the Tigers in 2005. 

Binghamton is the only one of the Mets’ four affiliates that is home on Friday.  

The Mets are also hoping to get the suspended Max Scherzer back on Monday afternoon against Atlanta. But Showalter, when asked if Scherzer would need a minor-league rehab outing since he has only thrown three innings since April 11, said: “The plan right now is for him to join us. But it could change. See how he feels on his workday.” 

Scherzer’s last start was pushed back three days to April 19 because of back stiffness. Then he was ejected after three innings because of what umpires deemed was his use of a sticky foreign substance. That led to the 10-game suspension that ends Monday. 

Mauricio second to none? 

Shortstop prospect Ronny Mauricio, who played his first career game at second base on Friday, is doing well at the position, Showalter said. 

“It’s going well,” Showalter said. “I know that he's obviously extremely agreeable to it. He just wants to play.” 

Mauricio, 22, was batting .345 with six home runs and a 1.042 OPS going into Thursday. He is blocked by Francisco Lindor at short and seems to be blocked by Jeff McNeil and Luis Guillorme at second. But McNeil can also play the outfield, so the Mets have options if they decide Mauricio can help an offense that has struggled at times. 

“He's taken a good end of the season last year, a good winter ball and a really good spring and ran with it this year,” Showalter said. “That's [a] good example of timing. He's open to anything and everything that might make him more of an option to play in the big leagues one day. That's been a pretty easy sell because I think he's smart enough to know who's playing shortstop here. But we also have a good second baseman – two of them. So anything that increases his versatility is always a feather in his hat.” 

Mauricio played some third base in winter ball and in spring training. But the Mets have Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar on the big-league roster for the hot corner. 

Atlanta matchups

Pitching matchups for the four-game series with first-place Atlanta that begins on Friday: David Peterson vs. Max Fried; Tylor Megill vs. Spencer Strider; Jose Butto vs. Charlie Morton; Scherzer vs. Bryce Elder. 

Rain in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday could alter those plans. 

Notes & quotes 

Going into the game, the Mets had struck out 195 times, which is the fourth fewest in the majors. But 28 of them came in the last two games against Washington . . . Carlos Carrasco (elbow inflammation) threw his first bullpen session since going on the injured list on Thursday . . . Adam Ottavino was placed on the paternity list. Righthander Denyi Reyes was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse. 

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