CHICAGO — Austin Warren thought his season was over last month and he was doubtlessly headed to Tommy John surgical procedure.

That made his return to the mound for the Mets on Wednesday a second he could recognize. The right-hander proceeded to pitch a scoreless seventh inning against the Padres with two strikeouts.

“I didn’t like falling behind and being in a full count with every batter,” the reliever said Friday before the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the White Sox at Rate Field. “But I will take the results. I am excited to be back with the guys and competing again.”

Warren, who was among the staff’s most efficient relievers in the first half, ready for the worst after alerting the staff he was dealing with forearm discomfort in July.

But an MRI examination indicated he didn’t want surgical procedure.

Warren was shut down from throwing for six days and then started a gradual throwing development that led to his return.

“I probably should have said something earlier,” Warren said of the discomfort in his last few outings before his shutdown. “That’s just a boneheaded mistake on my aspect.

“But I am glad the results came back the way they did and it wasn’t worse. It could have been worse if I kept pitching through it.”

He returned to a utterly totally different bullpen than the one he departed, following the Aug. 3 commerce deadline.

Austin Warren throws a pitch during the Mets’ win over the Padres on Aug. 19, 2026 at Citi Field. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

“It was definitely different walking out to the pen the first night,” Warren said. “But I feel like everyone is stepping up and doing their job. That is all we can ask for right now.”

Bo Bichette began at DH and homered as interim supervisor Andy Green shuffles the spot following Jorge Polanco’s placement on the injured checklist and impending season-ending ankle surgical procedure.

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“Given where we are without Polanco or a consistent DH, I think you will see that [spot] passed around a little bit more in order to refresh guys,” Green said.

Carson Benge, with his fifteenth homer Wednesday, joined Darryl Strawberry as the only Mets rookies in franchise historical past to attain that whole and also steal at least 15 bases.

Benge is the only MLB rookie this season with at least 15 homers and 15 stolen bases.