PHILADELPHIA — Marcus Semien returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 10-day injured list in time for Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Phillies to open the second half of the season, but he wasn’t in the lineup.

It’s an indication of just how poor the veteran second baseman has been in his first season with the Mets, as interim manager Andy Green went with the lefty-swinging Brett Baty against Philadelphia right-hander Aaron Nola.

And Baty delivered with a pair of hits, including a homer.

“When my name is called, I’ll be ready,’’ Semien said before the game. “I’m ready to play every single day. That’s what I told Andy.”

Asked if Semien and Baty, who was hitting better before the All-Star break- were in something of a lefty-righty platoon, Green said the team wanted to get Semien a full workout day before he started a game, since he was unable to play in any minor league rehab games during the break.

Green added that Semien was expected to be in the lineup Saturday when the Phillies are scheduled to start lefty Jesús Luzardo.

“He’ll figure prominently in our mix going forward,’’ Green said of Semien.

Semien, a significant part of the offseason overhaul undertaken by president of baseball operations David Stearns, had been sidelined since June 24 with a left hip flexor strain.

Even before the injury, though, the 35-year-old was having the worst season of his 14-year career.

Not only has his offense dropped off for a third straight year, Semien has been a below-average defender at second base.

Baty can play second and third and Green said he might use him at first, where Jared Young — another lefty hitter — has gotten the bulk of the playing time.

“This is who he is as a hitter and what he can do,” Green said of Baty’s recent hot streak. “He presents a lot of defensive versatility … [and] he’s showing the pop in his bat we believe he has.”

Baty acknowledged he’s had a disappointing year up to this point, saying, “I don’t think it’s been good at all. I hold myself to a way higher standard than the way I’ve been playing. I think the last two or so weeks have been the kind of player I am: hitting the ball hard and playing good defense. That’s all I can really control.”

To open a roster spot for Semien, Zack Short was designated for assignment after starting the last three games before the break at second base.

Short had been starting, in part, because Bo Bichette was dealing with right ankle soreness.

Bichette was back in the lineup at third base Thursday — with Baty at second — and Green noted, “We definitely could have used his bat in the last series,” when the Mets were swept at home by Boston.

Last time on the mound, Mets starter Christian Scott threw five scoreless innings in a win over the Kansas City Royals, but interim manager Andy Green wanted to see more from the 27-year-old despite the results.

Scott said he didn't have his best stuff, and Green challenged him to "get better" and reach "another level" that he believes is there in the right-hander.

Thursday night in Philadelphia, Scott answered that challenge.

He threw 5.2 scoreless innings in a 4-1 win over the Phillies, allowing just three hits and striking out seven. After the win, Scott explained how Green's comments motivated him for this next start.

"Yeah, I love when he challenges me," Scott said. "I don't want to hear how good I did; I want to hear what I need to improve on. It's easy to come in here and say I did a great job when me and him both know I didn't really pitch up to my capabilities that day, even though the results showed that. Sometimes the results kind of lie.

"I thought it was a good kick in the ass, little bit. Being able to light that fire under me. I needed that for that day. You know, especially coming off his ear, I know I can pitch better; that was a good time for him to bring that up."

Green was proud of how Scott responded with "outstanding effort" on Thursday, and noted that he would've kept Scott in the game longer if this wasn't their first game back from the All-Star break.

"I thought his mix was really good. His fastball was alive early, he was beating really good hitters with it," Green said. "I think second time through he mixed really well, got to the cutter and the sweeper a little bit more. Outstanding effort from him.

"I think I challenged him last game to really end innings and not let them drag on, and he did a phenomenal job of that. Any other day, he's probably going to be asked to run through the middle of the order again, but with a day off tomorrow coming off the All-Star break, we're about as fresh in the bullpen as we could be. Having Brooks [Raley] available in there to get the couple of lefties was great."

Scott threw his fastball 27 times against the Phillies, topping out at 97.7 mph, and got four strikeouts with the pitch. Overall, he threw 79 pitches for a total of 56 strikes, and like Green noticed, said everything was working well on the mound.

"I thought I did a good job attacking the strike zone early," Scott said. "Just stayed on the attack pretty much the whole game, all my pitches were working in the strike zone today. Thought I did a good job getting ahead, just getting through at-bats pretty quickly today."

Looking ahead, Scott hopes to be able to pitch deeper into the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but acknowledges it's "part of the learning process." For now, he's happy with putting the Mets in a position to win the game.

"Just giving the team a chance to win, honestly, that was the biggest part of that I took from today," Scott said. "I thought the offense did a good job battling and then finally getting to the bullpen and putting some runs together. Yeah, I just keep my team in it for the most part, that's what my job is, so feel like I did a good job of that."

PHILADELPHIA — Calf injuries have already cost the Mets significantly this season, with both Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor missing time with them.

But interim manager Andy Green said after Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park that even though Soto was removed before the bottom of the eighth with “a little left calf soreness,” the left fielder is expected to be back on the field “this weekend.”

Soto said after the game he felt it about halfway through the win, a game in which he reached base four times with a base hit and three walks.

And Soto added he intended to be in the lineup Saturday, when the Mets resume their series against the Phillies.

Green noted they pulled Soto, in part, because he didn’t have an All-Star break.

“He just played in the All-Star Game and had a lot of activity the last few days,’’ Green said. “It made sense to get him off his feet.”

Soto will get treatment Friday and they’ll see how he feels Saturday — and Green added Soto could have remained in the game, but “it didn’t make sense.”

Clay Holmes threw to Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr. in Brooklyn on Tuesday, as both Holmes and Robert get closer to returning.

Holmes (fractured right fibula) could begin a minor league rehab assignment after his next side session, although Green said there was no specific date set for the start of that assignment.

And Robert (lumbar disc herniation) is set to continue his minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and could be back with the Mets “relatively soon,’’ according to Green.

Francisco Lindor made another uncharacteristic error in Thursday’s win.

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With Bryce Harper at the plate in the bottom of the sixth, the Mets caught Kyle Schwarber off second base.

Francisco Alvarez threw down to Lindor, but as Schwarber headed to third, Lindor bounced a throw to Bo Bichette and Schwarber was safe on Lindor’s error.

It ended up not costing the Mets.

Brooks Raley walked Harper, but then got Brandon Marsh swinging to end the inning.

If the 2027 season starts on time — a big if, considering the distance between MLB and the MLBPA with the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire in December — the Mets would open at Miami on March 25.

Their home opener will be on April 2 against the Giants.

The first round of the Subway Series is scheduled to begin May 28 at Citi Field, with the Mets visiting the Yankees to open the second half on July 16.

The Mets are set to finish the season at home against the Cubs, with the final game on Sept. 26.

Wander Franco wants to return to the baseball diamond.

Franco, who was found guilty in May of sexually abusing a minor in a second trial, was making a push to play for the Dominican Republic during the Central American and Caribbean Games that start later this month, ESPN’s Enrique Rojas reported Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Franco’s participation appears unlikely, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Franco, who last played in an MLB game on Aug. 12, 2023, was left off of the Dominican Republic’s “long list” of candidates for its roster, meaning that he is not eligible to play on the team, per the outlet.

The Dominican Baseball Federation (FEDOM) said it is working on getting Franco cleared to play.

“We, as the Dominican Baseball Federation, have been handling the procedures with the Dominican Olympic Committee in order to allow us to register Wander through the platform so that he can play with us,” FEDOM told the Tampa Bay Times in a statement.

“We are hopeful and very confident that we will receive a positive response.”

Despite this, Garibaldy Bautista, president of the Dominican Olympic Committee, insists that Franco remains ineligible for the tournaments.

“Simply put, he is not on the long list and cannot be registered on the Dominican team to participate in the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games,” Bautista said, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Although a court found Franco, 25, guilty of the sexual and psychological exploitation of a minor, he did not face any jail time, with the victim’s mother instead getting a 10-year prison sentence for allegedly profiting from payments made by the ex-Rays infielder to consent to his relationship with the teen.

Franco, who is on MLB’s restricted list, has been unable to play in the major or minor leagues since August 2023, along with the Dominican Winter League, which has arrangements with MLB.

“To my fans, keep supporting me, trust in God and with the faith in God, I’ll soon be back,” Franco said while walking out of the court in May, according to reporter Hector Gomez. “In this process, I learned to never give up and to value family. Value your family because they will always be there.

“I’ve always kept training thanks to my dad.

The Shohei Ohtani Effect is minting a whole new lineup of Dodgers sponsors—and this time, the King of the Monsters is stepping up to the plate.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have landed another blockbuster partnership with one of Japan’s biggest entertainment brands, announcing a Godzilla Minus Zero Night that further showcases how Shohei Ohtani has transformed the franchise into Major League Baseball’s premier destination for Japanese business.

The Sept. 24 promotion, the Dodgers’ regular-season home finale against the San Diego Padres at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium, will feature one of Japan’s most iconic cultural exports.

The first 40,000 ticketed fans entering the 7:10 p.m. game will receive an exclusive Godzilla Minus Zero bobblehead, with one giveaway item per valid ticket.

The collectible depicts Godzilla in full Dodgers gear, wearing a blue LA batting helmet and a white Dodgers jersey marked “0.0” while clenching a baseball bat between its jaws.

The monster stands atop a wrecked stadium scene surrounded by flames, with “Godzilla Minus Zero” displayed on the base.

The promotional image notes the design shown is a concept and the final product is subject to change.

Fans will also be treated to a Godzilla-themed drone show after the game, while additional in-stadium activations promoting the event will take place in the days leading up to the matchup.

The event also serves as a promotional launch for TOHO’s upcoming feature film, Godzilla Minus Zero, which opens in theaters nationwide on Nov. 6.

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Written, directed and featuring visual effects by Takashi Yamazaki, the movie is set in 1949, two years after the events of Godzilla Minus One, and follows the Shikishima family as they confront an all-new calamity.

Its predecessor won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 96th Academy Awards.

“We are pleased to partner with TOHO on Godzilla Minus Zero Night, an evening at the ballpark that should be a sure-fire hit with Dodger fans,” said Lorenzo Sciarrino, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships, Los Angeles Dodgers. “This will be the perfect event to cap our 2026 regular season home schedule.”

Founded in 1932, TOHO is one of Japan’s leading entertainment companies, with operations spanning film production, distribution and exhibition, theater, anime and real estate.

“We are deeply honored to launch this partnership between the Los Angeles Dodgers, a monumental Major League Baseball franchise that continues to captivate fans worldwide, and Godzilla, a global icon loved for over 70 years,” said Keiji Ota, Senior Managing Executive Officer and Chief Godzilla Officer, TOHO CO., Ltd. “Both names share a powerful legacy of stepping onto the world stage, embracing relentless challenges, and fueling the passion of millions.”

Ota added that the collaboration marks another milestone in TOHO’s continued global expansion of the Godzilla brand.

“Through this partnership, Godzilla’s overwhelming presence and monumental scale will fuse with the dynamic energy of the Dodgers, delivering an exclusive, one-of-a-kind experience,” Ota further shared. “We imagine the roar of the stadium crowd echoing across the globe, capturing the very spirit of Godzilla itself.”

TOHO also promoted the event on social media, writing: “We are thrilled to announce ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Night at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Thursday, Sept 24 during the Dodgers vs. Padres game!”

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The company added: “Get ready, the first 40,000 fans score an exclusive bobblehead! Plus, don’t miss an epic drone show lighting up the night sky.”

The Godzilla partnership follows another wildly successful Japanese-themed promotion earlier this season.

The Dodgers’ One Piece Night on July 2 featured a co-branded Straw Hat giveaway and an exclusive Monkey D. Luffy trading card.

The promotion sparked massive demand, with thousands of fans lining up five hours before first pitch as raw copies of the card quickly flipped online for between $600 and $900.

Those promotions are part of a much larger financial transformation driven by Ohtani’s arrival.

Industry reports indicate the Dodgers now generate at least $200 million annually in revenue tied directly to Ohtani and the club’s expanding portfolio of Japanese partnerships.

The boom has reportedly been so lucrative that the franchise effectively recouped the equivalent of Ohtani’s historic $700 million contract within his first couple of seasons through sponsorships and other business generated by the Japanese superstar.

The Post’s Greg Joyce breaks down three questions that the Yankees will need to answer with the season set to resume after the All-Star break:

When does Aaron Judge return?

Since the day they revealed that Aaron Judge was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his first right rib, the Yankees have said that the back-to-back AL MVP is expected to return at some point this season.

But will he, and when, and in what condition?

No one can say for sure just yet, though reimaging this week should give them at least a slightly clearer picture of how much longer they will have to survive without him.

Who are the new guys?

The Yankees will get some help at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, but the question is, how much?

As they begin the second half, their biggest needs are a righty-hitting catcher and at least one high-leverage bullpen arm, if not two.

Austin Wells was one of the worst hitters in the big leagues in the first half while the bullpen, despite owning the majors’ lowest ERA, could use another trustworthy reliever.

Does George Lombard Jr. debut?

Before spraining multiple fingers last month, the top shortstop prospect was picking up steam offensively at Triple-A and potentially starting to push his way into the conversation about whether he could impact the Yankees this season.

Now that he is on the way back from the injured list, can he knock the door down in the second half if José Caballero and Anthony Volpe don’t pick it up?

The Mets started their second half of the 2026 season Thursday against the Phillies in less-than-ideal conditions.

Baseball teams are used to rain, heat and even the occasional snow, but the wildfires in Canada have produced conditions in the northeast that are tough to play in. Large swaths of smoke have covered the New York City and Philadelphia areas, bringing with them poor air quality and increased heat. That's why MLB pushed up Thursday's series opener an hour to avoid the harsher conditions later in the evening.

And, as it turns out, it was the right move.

"I didn’t think it was bad until the last couple of innings. Eyes itching, burning a little bit," Brett Baty said of the conditions after the game. "[Carson] Benge said it felt like you were sitting at a campfire, just close to a campfire, which was pretty good. It's fun, but it didn't feel great playing ball with it, though."

"At the end of the game, it was a little bit more difficult, especially catching," Francisco Alvarez said through an interpreter. "It became more difficult to see at the end."

Despite the visibility issues, Baty and Alvarez hit three bombs combined in the Mets' 4-1 win over the division rival Phillies. 

But issues seeing the ball could be seen throughout the game. Fielders had trouble picking up flyballs, and even Mets interim manager Andy Green couldn't see some of them from the dugout. But while Green didn't believe the conditions affected play, he could tell it was teetering a bit at the end.

"It felt like it could have [affected the game] at any moment, especially as visibility got tougher," Green said. "Guys managed to see baseballs that I couldn’t when they went up in the air as pop-ups. Good thing we have good athletes on the field that can see things. Don’t think it ultimately did, from my perspective." 

What the smoke did affect was how long Mets starter Christian Scott felt on the mound. 

The young right-hander was breezing through five innings when Kyle Schwarber hit a two-out double -- that nearly was a home run -- that chased Scott. Scott finished his night throwing just 79 pitches through 5.2 innings. 

"Not gonna lie, towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there," Scott said. "At the end of the day, a little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody. Part of the game. It was fun playing out there, the stadium was packed, good atmosphere. Yea, it was fun."

The Mets have an off day Friday before they're back at it on Saturday afternoon. And while the smoke from the wildfires is hopefully out of the area by then, the weather forecast shows the Mets could be dealing with thunderstorms in the area. 

Whatever the weather brings, the Mets will face it head-on.

"In the last week, we've had a game pushed back and a game pushed up, that's fairly unique," Green said. "You just have to roll with it."

Christian Scott was asked about his thoughts on the air quality in Philadelphia tonight

"Not gonna lie, towards the end of it, it was a little thick. I felt like I was breathing some metal in there. A little spoonful of adversity never hurt anybody" pic.twitter.com/PKhJEJwKQL

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 17, 2026

Juan Soto left the New York Mets' game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning on Thursday, July 16 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Mets interim manager Andy Green spoke to the media after the game, which New York won 4-1, to explain what happened to the five-time All-Star. He said Soto "had a little bit of left calf soreness."

In April, Soto was placed on the 10-day IL after aggravating his right calf and missed 15 games. He also left a Mets' outing against the Chicago Cubs in June with back soreness. The 27-year-old sat out one game.

Green noted that Soto played in the All-Star Game earlier this week and "came through a lot of activity the last few days."

"It made sense just to get him off his feet," Green said, adding, "I think we're in a spot where he felt he could keep going, but it didn't make sense."