Devin Williams likely to be fast-tracked back to Mets bullpen after injury

In a lost season, Devin Williams is trying to establish health, if nothing else, and is nearing a return.The Mets closer, who has been out since Aug.7 with a shoulder strain, threw his third session off a mound at Citi Field on Monday and is expected to face hitters for the first time Thursday.

If that goes well, he likely would be fast-tracked to the major league pen without a rehab assignment for a season that has less than two weeks remaining.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

“He looked good on the mound today,” said interim manager Andy Green, who watched most of the session and cautioned there will be more boxes to check before an official activation.“Stuff was coming out really well.”Williams said that finishing the season healthy and “having a normal offseason is ideal.” If and when he does return, he would rejoin a very different group than the bullpen with which he spent most of the season’s first four months.Without Williams, Kodai Senga has flashed intriguing stuff as fill-in closer.

Nate Lavender has been untouchable in replacing Brooks Raley and A.J.Minter.

Daniel Duarte has made a case that he belongs on the 2027 Mets.“For the most part, they’ve been lights-out,” said Williams, who would be the rare veteran reliever among the group.“I think moving forward it’s going to be really beneficial for a lot of these guys.

… The only way to get good in those situations is by being put in them.So I think they’re all getting a lot of really valuable experience.”Senga has embraced his late-game role but often has noted he feels best as a starter, a job he could not hold on to this year.A healthy Williams would bump Senga to a slightly lesser role, but Williams sounds intrigued by the possibility of them both pitching in late-game situations.“He’s 6-for-6 [in save chances].

He’s punching tickets.Throwing 100 [mph] and wi...