PORT ST. LUCIE — For openers it will be Thor’s hammer.
Confirming what he told The Post’s Kevin Kernan last month, manager Terry Collins on Thursday officially named Noah Syndergaard the Mets’ Opening Day starter for April 3 against the Braves at Citi Field.
It will be the first career Opening Day start for Syndergaard, who got the Game 2 assignment in Kansas City last year after Matt Harvey pitched the opener.
Collins said he brought the entire starting rotation into his office Thursday morning to let everybody know Syndergaard was getting the ball in Game 1.
“It’s just a huge honor,” Syndergaard said. “It’s something I have been working for ever since I was with the Mets, to be the Opening Day starter at one point, but I am extremely thrilled that Terry instills that kind of confidence in me, so I am going to go out there and get the job done.”
Collins said the decision was a no-brainer.
“Opening Day is something you earn from the year before, and I don’t think it should be based on what you see in spring training,” Collins said. “This guy, with what he did last year, deserved to be that guy. If Bartolo [Colon] was still here, he would be in the mix, but I thought I should get it done, and these guys can move on and get ready for when they need to pitch.”
Collins will announce the rest of his rotation for opening week at a later date.
Zack Wheeler gave a thumbs up when asked how he felt after playing catch with pitching coach Dan Warthen. The righty, who had tenderness in his elbow after throwing earlier in the week, said he will have a bullpen session Saturday or Sunday.
The Mets believe Wheeler’s soreness stemmed from scar tissue in the elbow.
“We don’t think it’s major yet until we get into this a little further,” Collins said. “If he continues to have it in 7-10 days, we have got to reexamine.”
Collins plans to take a look at Brandon Nimmo at all three outfield positions this spring. The rookie Nimmo likely won’t be considered for a bench role at the major league level.