The day began mostly like any other day. But by game time, the Mets had placed a pitcher, left-hander Steven Matz, on the 10-day disabled list.

So it really was just like any other day for the Mets.

But in placing Matz on the DL (retroactive to Wednesday) because of a flexor pronator strain in his left arm, there was a sense of relief. The plan — OK, call it hope — is that Matz will miss only one start. And that would be Sunday when Corey Oswalt, summoned from Triple-A Las Vegas as the corresponding move, will start against Atlanta.

“It was just backing it down a little bit. We have the time right now just to miss one start. It’s not the end of the world and just let it calm down and try to finish strong,” said Matz, who raised red flags, sounded alarm bells and caused prayer candles to be lit when he complained of a “dead arm” recently.

And then him getting shelled for seven runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Nationals didn’t leave anybody feeling warm and fuzzy. An MRI exam revealed no structural damage, but brought exhales of relief. So with the Mets basically fighting for draft positioning the rest of the way, the decision to give Matz rest for one start seemed prudent.

“I don’t want to say anything right now, but I think that’s the plan going forward, just one start and then get right back after it,” said Matz, who is 5-9 with 4.35 ERA in 107 ²/₃ innings in 21 starts for the Mets this season.

Matz — obviously, he is a Mets pitcher after all — has a long medical history including three elbow surgeries. With the standings the way they are, giving him some time to rest and strengthen was a no-brainer.

“Really just more thinking of what the right thing is at this point for Matz moving forward. It’s something that there’s no reason to push him through at this point,” manager Mickey Callaway said before the Mets lost to the Braves, 2-1, on Friday night at Citi Field. “A different scenario we could, but it doesn’t make much sense right now. So give him a little bit of a breather and have him come back and ready to go and finish strong.”

Yeah, what’s one start for non-contenders?

“It feels like that,” Callaway said of one missed start, “but obviously we have to see how he does. He’s going to start playing catch [Saturday] and then we’ll kind of evaluate from there. It’s significantly better today and we’re looking at hopefully a shortened time frame.”

Matz said he felt some discomfort and tightness even before Tuesday’s cameo appearance. But he wasn’t overly concerned. It’s now August and nobody feels 100 percent at this point.

“Honestly, that’s why I went out and pitched because stuff comes up during the season. It’s just part of what we do. We’re throwing a baseball as hard as we can. Stuff comes up and it’s just figuring out, ‘OK, is this something I’ve got to be worried about or something I can gut through?’” Matz said. “I’ve had three elbow surgeries so it is … a sigh of relief everything is structurally good.”

So Matz’s rest is another opportunity for Oswalt, 24, who is 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA in six games — including five starts — for the Mets. He has impressed Callaway, especially in his more recent outings.

“We’ve seen a little bit of everything. The last few have been really good,” Callaway said. “Thrown the ball over the plate with good deception, good angle, mixed in a really good breaking ball and has had some good results and those have seemed to be because he’s been on more of a routine. … It was more, he’s getting to pitch every five days, he’s settling in, his stuff’s crisper, he’s being able to throw the ball over the plate. … Once he’s gotten in that good routine we’ve seen a really good Oswalt.”