Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Taijuan Walker and David Peterson both offered the Mets some encouragement on Saturday.

Facing the Washington Nationals at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Walker made his spring training debut while Peterson looked to rebound after a rough outing against the Cardinals in his last start. It proved to be a good day overall for both pitchers as they combined for 5 2/3 innings with Opening Day edging ever closer.

The most encouraging news for the Mets was Walker got through his first spring training outing after undergoing surgery on his right knee in order to remove damaged tissue, throwing two scoreless innings.

He made light work of his first inning, throwing just nine pitches and retiring the side, taking down sluggers Nelson Cruz and Juan Soto in the process.

Walker’s second inning also went to plan, despite giving up a single to Lane Thomas, with the righty able to get out of the second by forcing Maikel Franco to pop out to Pete Alonso at first.

The Mets couldn’t have scripted a better return for Walker, who will now look to ramp up ahead of Opening Day.

“It was good to be back out there,” Walker said. “I was excited. It was a little rushed today, but it felt good to be back out there and I got my work done.

“I’m still behind some of the other guys. I like where I was at. I thought my off-speed stuff was pretty good,” Walker continued. He said he thinks he’s “on track” to make his first start, too. “I don’t think I’ll be at 100 pitches, but I think I’ll be on track for at least five innings.”

While the main mission for Walker was to come through Saturday unscathed, for Peterson it was about rebounding.

After being shelled for three home runs in his last start, Peterson looked a lot better on the mound as his battle with Tylor Megill for the sixth rotation spot rolls on.

Coming in to replace Walker in the top of the third, Peterson’s inning began with both Luis Garcia and Victor Robles grounding out, before Alcides Escobar was able to draw a walk. However, Peterson retired the side by striking out Soto.

Cruz grounded out to begin the fourth and Josh Bell struck out, but Peterson was unable to get through the inning without incurring any damage after giving up a two-run homer to Thomas. He rebounded in the fifth, though, striking out both Garcia and Escobar to retire the side. His day came to a close in the sixth after both Soto and Cruz flew out to start the inning.

Peterson finished the day allowing two hits, two runs, one walk and five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He found plenty of success with his slider, which was filthy and had a 50 percent whiff rate.

“It’s always been a good get-out pitch for me,” Peterson said of the slider. “It felt good coming out (on Saturday).

“It felt good to be out there in a game setting, keep running that pitch count up, and I felt the fastball-changeup combo was working well. The slider was there, I’m still working on bringing the curveball along as the fourth, but it felt like everything was physically good.

Peterson acknowledged that he’s likely on the outside looking in with regards to a spot on the major-league rotation to start the year, but he also has a goal “to be a valuable piece to this team and to help them win,” he said.

“Whatever I’m asked to do that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to do my job and wherever that fits in is where I’ll be.”

The Mets improved to 4-3 in the Grapefruit League with the win Saturday. Walker’s and Peterson’s good days were just the appetizer to the weekend’s main course Sunday: Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer both throwing at home against the Cardinals.