Day after getting hook, Familia swats the Nats

WASHINGTON — Jeurys Familia responded to getting yanked from the mound in the best way possible: He returned to the scene Saturday and stifled the Nationals.

The Mets’ closer worked a perfect ninth inning in his team’s 5-3 victory over the Nationals for his first save of the season, a day after the struggling Familia was removed with the bases loaded in the ninth. Josh Edgin then entered and got Bryce Harper to hit into a game-ending double play.

Before the game, manager Terry Collins spoke with Familia to let him know he still is the guy in big spots.

“It’s part of the game,” Familia said, referring to his removal Friday. “We had lost [six] games in a row, so we had to figure out a way to win the first game and go from there, so I understand what he did.”

Familia, who served a 15- game suspension for violating MLB’s domestic violence policy, is battling to regain his sinker.

Travis d’Arnaud departed the game before the ninth inning with soreness in his upper back stemming from a slide into second base. D’Arnaud was scheduled for a rest anyway on Sunday, with Noah Syndergaard on the mound. Syndergaard’s personal catcher, Rene Rivera, will be behind the plate.

Jose Reyes continues to look shaky at third base — he committed a fielding error on Saturday — and will get a reprieve Sunday when he plays shortstop, with Matt Reynolds getting the start at third base.

Is Reyes’ defense a concern?

“He hates third base, I can tell you that,” Collins said. “It’s so new and there is a lot of action down there and the game really speeds up at that position.”

Reyes downplayed the idea he “hates” third base.

“I feel comfortable there and it’s a process,” Reyes said. “I am still going to continue to work and try to get better at it.”

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said he is not concerned about Syndergaard, who was scratched from his Thursday start with biceps soreness — the ace right-hander is scheduled to face the Nationals on Sunday. But Alderson indicated he would have preferred Syndergaard underwent an MRI exam. The pitcher declined to receive the test, saying he didn’t believe it was necessary.

“I can’t tie him down and throw him in the tube,” Alderson said.