Harvey, Wright take big steps toward Mets’ Opening Day

PORT ST. LUCIE — The Me🐠ts open their season two weeks from Sunday in Kansas City, and though rain washed out their scheduled game against the Nationals in Viera, two of their most important pieces took steps to being ready for April 3.

First, th𒀰ere was David Wright, who reported no setbacks after 💜he made his spring debut Friday.

“I made it꧑ through in one piece,” the third baseman said. “I’m good.”

Then, Matt Harvey took the mound on a back field behind Tradition Fie𓃲ld to face a group of unsuspecting Cardinals minor leaguers, since the Mets moved his outing because of a gloomy forecast later in the day.

Harvey wasn’t at his best♛, surrendering si𒀰x runs on seven hits, but he struck out five and most importantly for him threw 71 pitches in 3¹/₃ innings.

“The biggest thing was getting the pitch count up,” Harvey said. “I wanted 💙to be able to increase 🍌my workload before next week.”

The right-hander figures to have two more outings before Opening 💖Day and is on pace t♑o be ready to go.

He said he didn’t alter his approach after learning he would be pi🍨tching in a minor league game rather than against the big league Nationals.

Though he was the victim of some shaky defense b😼ehind him, Harvey was hit hard in♈ his final inning but insisted he was unconcerned.

“Not at all,” Harvey said. “I felt great﷽, and I’ve felt great all spring training.”

He was pleased with his slider and changeup in spite🌜 of the numbers and has continued to impress new teammate Neil Walker.

🔯“Watching him work every day, he’s kind of what I expected,” Wওalker said. “He’s prepared and intense. He knows his strengths and knows what he’s trying to accomplish. I felt like that’s how he would be before I got here, and that’s what I’ve seen.”

Walker, who had one 🔯hit and two strikeouts in six plate appearances off Harvey when he was with the Pirates, has enjoyed his new vantage point of Harvey from second base.

“I won’t miss that live arm and wipeout ꦆslider,” the switch-hitting Walker said. “It’s not like most sliders. It’s almost as hard as a cutter, but it moves a lot more.”

And when it’s on, it’s almost impossible to hit.

“If he gets you to 0-2, it’s tough to deal with that pitch,” Walker said. “[Hitting] lefty, righty, it didn’t matter. The guy knows how to pitch and put guys away.”

Harvey will be looking to do that against the Royals in two weeks, and if all goes well, Wright w▨ill be at third.

Hitting coach Kevin Long said he wasn’t surprised Wright survived his first game because of the caution❀ the𒁏 Mets have treated the third baseman with as he deals with the spinal stenosis that sidelined him for much of last season.

“He knows what he’s doing,” Long said. “The most important thing is for him to b✃e ready for Opening Day. He’ll continue to get his work in and be smar🦂t about it.”

Wright did🍬n’t play for the first two weeks of the spring but went 2-for-3ꩲ against the Nationals in his spring debut Friday.

“I liked what I saw,’’ Long said.