Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, Starling Marte and Brandon Nimmo were the four highest-paid Mets on the field in Tuesday’s 7-6 loss to the Yankees, and each came up small at various times in the Subway Series opener — something that’s happened more than the Mets would like this season.

Scherzer was the first culprit. He was staked to a 5-1 lead in the third inning after the Mets offense got to Luis Severino early.

But Scherzer couldn’t protect it. He was hit hard in the top of the fourth, done in by bullet singles from slumping Kyle Higashioka and Anthony Rizzo, a 101-mph double from the struggling Anthony Volpe and a 106-mph two-run homer by another scuffling Yankee, DJ LeMahieu.

But it was a bloop single to right by Jake Bauers that knocked in a pair of runs and ended Scherzer’s night.