PORT ST. LUCIE — In a perfect scenario for the Mets, it would’ve been Kodai Senga aligning his spring schedule to make the Opening Day start at Citi Field.

After a shoulder strain paused his spring, though, they needed to settle on a new starter.

And that, Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday, will be Jose Quintana.

It had emerged as the likely decision, given Quintana’s sharp spring that included four scoreless innings Wednesday and the reality of the Mets’ pitching outlook.

His ERA dropped to 2.08 through his three outings, and he worked through command issues from earlier outings and regulated his tempo to discover an early-season rhythm.

So for the first time since 2017, when he was with the White Sox, the left-hander earned the honor to start the season’s first game.

“That’s special for me to be Opening Day starter,” Quintana said. “I understand we have a great rotation, so one of those guys can be Opening Day starter, too. … It’s an honor for me they give me the ball first day.”

When Quintana signed with the Mets ahead of last season, he was supposed to take a complementary role in the rotation. They had Max Scherzer. They had Justin Verlander. Senga was an intriguing addition.

His 2023 debut, though, was delayed due to a rib injury.

Quintana ended up making 13 starts and compiled a 3.57 ERA, and this year, with Scherzer and Verlander both gone, Quintana will inherit one of the rotation’s pivotal roles alongside Senga — when he returns — and Luis Severino.

“He’s one of those guys that competes, takes the ball, knows how to pitch and we like how he’s bouncing back,” Mendoza said after making his first decision as manager on an Opening Day starter. “We feel like the more that he goes through his progression, the stronger he feels.”