Nate Lavender is pitching like someone who waited his entire life for this opportunity. 

It took him five years to make the major leagues. He underwent two operations on his left elbow. 

Earlier this month, the left-handed reliever finally got his shot. It has only been three weeks, but Lavender is making a case to be a part of next year’s bullpen. 

“It’s an accumulation of a lot of work, long rehab days,” he told The Post before the Mets hosted the Brewers on Wednesday night at Citi Field. “All throughout that, this was always the end goal. This was the goal in mind, and that’s one of the factors that kept me motivated during those days.”