ST. LOUIS — The Mets got some good news today: Mike Pelfrey looks firmly on track to return to their rotation Saturday. After having his turn last Sunday skipped due to a bout of forearm tendinitis, the big right-hander threw an encouraging session of batting practice here this afternoon.

Pelfrey and Jerry Manuel both said they saw no reason why Pelfrey can’t make his next start Saturday afternoon at Citi Field against the lowly Nationals.

“My arm felt live for the first time in a while,” Pelfrey said. “The ball was coming off good. My command was a little off … but the big thing is I didn’t feel [the tendinitis] one time when I was on the mound. It felt great.”

Pelfrey expects to throw a bullpen session Thursday or Friday as a final warmup to the start against Washington.

Manuel said he liked that Pelfrey pitched pain-free today, but the manager still saw room from improvement.

“I thought the command could have been a little better,” Manuel said of Pelfrey, who has struggled in that department while compiling an 8.10 ERA in his first two starts.