DeGrom looking to duplicate Colon’s effort

WASHINGTON — Jacob deGrom will get the Mets’ home opener on Monday, but for this week is playing second fiddle.

With the pomp and celebration of Opening Day complete — Bartolo Colon pitched a gem for the Mets in their 31 victory over the Nationals — deGrom will get the ball Wednesday at Nationals Park and try to emulate the 41yearold righthander.

“I watched what Bartolo did — he just located and kept the ball down and threw the ball really well,” deGrom said. “That’s my game plan: Throw strikes and keep it down. I’m going to take that into Wednesday.”

Colon allowed one run on three hits over six innings with eight strikeouts and one walk, backing up manager Terry Collins’ assertion he deserved the ball for the opener.

DeGrom faced the Nationals last week in the Grapefruit League, but team officials weren’t concerned about the righthander giving away too much.

Collins noted deGrom’s pure power makes him different from Colon, who was skipped against the Nationals last week.

The Mets will have their two best starters— deGrom and Matt Harvey — on the mound for the next two games and a chance for an early series victory. But the Nationals have studs Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg lined up.

DeGrom said he isn’t interested in the implications of beating the Nationals, against whom the Mets went 415 last year.

“I don’t look too much into that,” he said. “I just go out there every time and no matter who steps in or who I’m throwing against, just put us in a position to win.”

With Monday’s victory, the Mets improved to 3519 alltime on Opening Day, but the franchise hasn’t been as impressive in Game 2. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Mets are 2726 alltime in the second game of the season.

The Mets have extended their playerdevelopment agreement with Double A Binghamton through the 2020 season.

Max Scherzer’s nohit bid, which extended into the sixth inning Monday, evidently didn’t surprise the Nationals’ Ian Desmond.

“You get 200million something dollars, you better have nohit stuff,” Desmond told reporters.