New York Mets ace scheduled for Double-A rehab start on Friday

It took some time, but there is finally more information about the rehab start New York Mets co-ace Justin Verlander will make on Friday. 

The Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies have confirmed that Verlander will take the bump Friday afternoon against the Akron RubberDucks at Binghamton's Mirabito Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. ET. 

According to Pat Ragazzo of FanNation's Inside the Mets, the Amazins hope that Verlander will complete between three and four innings of work against Akron. Per SNY, manager Buck Showalter is planning for this to be Verlander's only rehab appearance before the 40-year-old is cleared to be activated from the injured list. 

Barring a setback, Verlander is on track to make his regular-season Mets debut this coming Wednesday at the Detroit Tigers -- his MLB club from 2005-17. 

The Mets signed Verlander to a two-year, $86.7M contract in December, one that includes a vesting third-year option reportedly worth $35M. Verlander landed on the injured list on Opening Day with what has been referred to as a low-grade teres major strain (strained shoulder). 

The three-time Cy Young Award winner tossed 43 pitches in a live batting practice session this past Sunday and admitted earlier this week that spending the first month of the season recovering from his setback has been "frustrating." 

Scherzer, meanwhile, will miss at least the next four contests while serving a controversial 10-game suspension related to purported the use of foreign substances. It's unclear if he'll start against the Atlanta Braves on Monday. 

The Mets lost four of their first six games during Scherzer's ongoing ban. 

Additionally, Jose Quintana has yet to make his Mets debut and will remain sidelined through the beginning of July with a stress fracture in his rib. Carlos Carrasco is also on the IL, battling inflammation in his throwing elbow. It's unknown when he might return to the rotation. 

Despite these injury woes, the Mets began Thursday night holding a 14-11 record.