CHICAGO — Austin Warren thought his season was over last month and he was potentially headed to Tommy John surgery.

That made his return to the mound for the Mets on Wednesday a moment he could appreciate. The right-hander proceeded to pitch a scoreless seventh inning against the Padres with two strikeouts.

“I didn’t like falling behind and being in a full count with every batter,” the reliever said Friday before the Mets’ 6-4 loss to the White Sox at Rate Field. “But I will take the results. I am excited to be back with the guys and competing again.”

Warren, who was among the team’s most effective relievers in the first half, prepared for the worst after alerting the team he was dealing with forearm discomfort in July.

But an MRI exam indicated he didn’t need surgery.

Warren was shut down from throwing for six days and then began a gradual throwing progression that led to his return.

“I probably should have said something earlier,” Warren said of the discomfort in his last few outings before his shutdown. “That’s just a boneheaded mistake on my side.

“But I am glad the results came back the way they did and it wasn’t worse. It could have been worse if I kept pitching through it.”

He returned to a completely different bullpen than the one he departed, following the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

“It was definitely different walking out to the pen the first night,” Warren said. “But I feel like everyone is stepping up and doing their job. That is all we can ask for right now.”

Bo Bichette started at DH and homered as interim manager Andy Green shuffles the spot following Jorge Polanco’s placement on the injured list and impending season-ending ankle surgery.

“Given where we are without Polanco or a consistent DH, I think you will see that [spot] passed around a little bit more in order to refresh guys,” Green said.

Carson Benge, with his 15th homer Wednesday, joined Darryl Strawberry as the only Mets rookies in franchise history to reach that total and also steal at least 15 bases.

Benge is the only MLB rookie this season with at least 15 homers and 15 stolen bases.