NEW YORK -- Although “a teensy” amount of inflammation still exists in Justin Verlander’s right side, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is confident he can return to the Mets before the end of April.

Verlander rejoined his teammates at Citi Field on Friday for their home opener, after flying back to New York ahead of them to receive a second MRI on his right side. That revealed reduced inflammation in his teres major muscle, which he strained in the days leading up to the season. Verlander hopes to have the remaining inflammation gone within the coming days, which will allow him to increase the intensity of his throwing program.

“I feel like I really turned a corner a couple days ago,” Verlander said. “The general soreness I was having is really dissipating quickly. All positive signs. I’m just waiting for that to completely go away before I really step on the gas.”

Already, Verlander is throwing at about 75% intensity. He will have a better gauge on his return progression once he’s able to get onto a mound and throw bullpen sessions. That should also determine how capable Verlander will be of stepping directly back into a game without the benefit of a Minor League rehab start.

Asked if he feels confident in a return before the end of April, Verlander replied: “I think that’s very reasonable. We haven’t put a timeframe on it, but yeah, I would definitely suspect that. That would be probably the worst-case in my mind. Well, worst case is being stupid and reinjuring it. But I think that would be a slow build from here.”

Verlander, 40, has not pitched in a regular season game since signing a two-year, $86.6 million contract to join the Mets in December. He is coming off an AL Cy Young season that saw him go 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA over 28 starts with the Astros -- his first year back from Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander is eligible to come off the injured list on April 11, but he will not be ready by that date. Realistically, a return in mid- to late April appears more in line with the team’s expectations. It’s not what Verlander foresaw when signing his contract, but he is confident in his ability to return sooner rather than later.

“Yeah, not the way I envisioned starting my career here with the Mets,” Verlander said. “Disappointing, to be honest. But I’m always a glass-half-full type of person. I’m always trying to be as positive as possible. Even though this isn’t the way I would have liked to have started, it’s out of my control. Injuries happen. … I’m just doing everything I can to get back out there, and then hopefully you hit the ground and make up for lost time.”