Mets, Max Scherzer eager to settle into a routine starting Sunday 

WASHINGTON — Now, finally, Max Scherzer can get into a routine and begin his season in earnest — or so he and the Mets hope.

Scherzer is set to return to the mound Sunday to face the Nationals, his latest neck-spasm episode amounting to one missed turn in the rotation.

The game will represent an unofficial restart to a season in which Scherzer has not been able to pitch much (and hasn’t often looked like himself when he has pitched).

Because of a back problem, a 10-game suspension for using an illegal substance on his hand and the more recent neck issue, Scherzer has tossed only 6  1⁄3 innings over the past month, a stretch in which the Mets generally and the starting pitchers specifically have largely struggled.

“I’m hoping it settles in for him,” manager Buck Showalter said.

Scherzer said of his desire to find a rhythm: “Yeah. I mean, gotta go out there and pitch well. That’s our job. So go out there and win ballgames.”

With a 5.56 ERA, the pitching well part will be key for Scherzer. The fact that he is able to pitch at all, though, is progress relative to most of the week. When he woke up Monday, his neck was locked up to a degree that he knew he would miss a start.

Friday afternoon at Nationals Park, four hours before the Mets opened a series against Washington, Scherzer tossed about 35 pitches in his first bullpen session in that span. He punctuated it with one of his usual fist pumps, a sign that it went well.

Scherzer described it as “very good,” noting that he threw all of his pitch types.

“You could tell by his face he was upbeat about it,” Showalter said. “That was the most strenuous thing he’s done with it for a while. But he felt really good. I know Jeremy [Hefner] came in going, ‘He could’ve pitched probably.’ I think he was so excited to be throwing pain-free. With the neck anyway. I haven’t gotten too deep.”

Scherzer still is managing the back ailment, muscular pain near his right shoulder blade. He expressed a hope — as he did when he returned from his suspension — that the unrelated downtime was just what his back needed to settle down.

Since he has barely pitched lately, how long Scherzer will be able to pitch on Sunday is unclear.

“It’s something I have to be in constant communication about with Buck, letting him know exactly where I’m at,” he said. “I’ve always been extremely honest with how my arm feels, when I think I can take on more pitches or not. Those conversations will have to be the same way as we navigate getting back into this.”

The only way he’ll know with certainty if he is back for sure is by pitching.

“Hopefully I can finally get through everything and actually get out there, get pitching and get into the swing of things, get in a rhythm and get healthy,” Scherzer said. “All of this at one time — hopefully this will be the last of it.”

Pitching plans

After Joey Lucchesi on Saturday and Scherzer on Sunday, the Mets will go back to David Peterson (7.68 ERA) for the finale with the Nats on Monday.

Justin Verlander will appear in his first home game with the Mets when he starts the series opener against the Rays on Tuesday.

The Mets are giving Peterson another turn because they want to give Verlander additional rest. He jumped from 79 pitches (five innings) in his first start to 104 pitches (seven innings) in his second.

“He’s in his third start from spring training,” Showalter said. “If you look at the increment jumps, just think it’s prudent to give him one extra day.”

Carlos Carrasco is set to make another rehab start with Double-A Binghamton on Sunday.

By Tim Healey

timothy.healey@newsday.com@timbhealey

Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.