PHILADELPHIA — For Drew Smith, the novelty hasn’t been so much throwing difficult-to-hit pitches as going through a relatively normal spring training and opening a season with the Mets.

Physically sound, the 28-year-old reliever has emerged as a force in the team’s bullpen through the first month. He entered Thursday without an earned run allowed in 10 appearances — only five other MLB pitchers who had logged at least 10 innings held that distinction.

The Mets have needed it, between early-season inconsistencies from others and injuries. A significant setback occurred this week, when Trevor May was shut down from throwing for four weeks because of a stress reaction in his right humerus. It has left Smith, along with Seth Lugo and Adam Ottavino, as the key pieces leading into closer Edwin Diaz.

“I am just thankful to pitch in any situation, but obviously, the bigger situations are a little more fun, so I don’t want to say I am getting used to it, but I could get used to it as the year goes, hopefully,” Smith said before the Mets faced the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. “I am in a good spot, and I am glad to see what is going on.”

Smith opened last season sidelined by a right shoulder injury and finished it in the same place. In 31 appearances he pitched to a 2.40 ERA, with 41 strikeouts in 41 ¹/₃ innings. He missed the entire 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery but struggled in eight appearances the next year.

This season, he’s struck out 15 batters in 11 ¹/₃ innings and allowed only four hits. In the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Braves, he fired two shutout innings. It was a second straight appearance in which he was asked to get more than three outs.

“We always knew this could be him; he just hasn’t been on the field,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said. “Every time he got kind of going in the right direction he would have a little injury that would get him out, and you have to build him back up, which is very frustrating obviously for him, but also for us because we knew Drew was capable of this type of production.

“He’s got the stuff to do it. We have just got to keep him on the field, keep him healthy, keep him feeling good.”

Before he even threw a pitch for Buck Showalter, the reliever had an in with the manager: Showalter’s son William, a scout with the Orioles, had watched Smith in college and had previously mentioned him to his dad.

“I introduced myself to Buck in spring training, and right when I shook his hand, before I could even say my name, he said, ‘I know who you are … my son talked to me about you in 2014 when you were at Dallas Baptist,’ ” Smith said. “He told me the whole story about his son scouting me, so that was pretty cool. I had no idea his son scouted me or even knew who I was, so that was a good start to spring.”

The Mets began play with a bullpen ERA of 3.94 that ranked 24th in MLB. It’s an area the team will need to improve as the season progresses, but from Smith they can’t ask for much better at this point.

“It’s a long season,” Smith said. “We are probably going to have guys rotating in and out, and unfortunately injuries happen as I know all too well, so I am looking forward to any opportunity I can get and making the most of it.”