NEW YORK -- Mets general manager Zack Scott is willing to look anywhere in his search for additional starting pitching -- even within the NL East.

“I don’t have any problem dealing within our division,” Scott said Monday, with four days to go until Friday's 4 p.m. ET Trade Deadline. “Some other teams may feel differently -- I have no idea. We have to look at what's best for the club, both short- and long-term. And sometimes dealing within the division is the way to do that.”

The most obvious in-division deal for the Mets would involve Nationals ace Max Scherzer, a pending free agent whom Washington is reportedly open to trading given its fall from serious playoff contention. A deal for Scherzer remains unlikely, mostly because of the cost he would command as a rental. But Mets officials will certainly discuss him, as they will any player who might be available this week.

Simply put, the Mets remain eager to add pitching even after acquiring Rich Hill from the Rays last week. Hill can’t fill all of the Mets’ open pitching slots, which exist because Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson, Noah Syndergaard and Joey Lucchesi -- a fine rotation in its own right -- are all on the injured list. Of those five, deGrom and Carrasco are the only ones who could conceivably help the Mets in August.

“Adding Rich definitely helps,” Scott said. “But I still think we need to improve and just have more depth there. Obviously, we have some guys that we think are on the cusp of returning that can make an impact, a positive impact on the club. But … we need to make sure we put our best foot forward in terms of getting the most pitching depth we can.”

Carrasco, who has been recovering from a strained right hamstring since March, could return as soon as this weekend. deGrom, who recently began testing his tight right forearm in bullpen sessions, appears on track for an early- to mid-August return. But Syndergaard won’t return until September at the earliest, and it might be as a reliever when he does. Peterson could be done for the year due to a fractured bone in his right foot, while Lucchesi is definitely finished due to Tommy John surgery.

That is why the Mets acquired Hill to cover short-term innings. But team officials know the Mets still need additional depth, with plenty of inventory -- José Berrios of the Twins, Kyle Gibson of the Rangers, Tyler Anderson of the Pirates, John Means of the Orioles and others -- reportedly available.

“Definitely as you get closer, where we are now, four days away, there’s more phone calls, more frequency of check-ins from people,” Scott said. “So it feels like there’s some momentum building toward something happening in the industry -- not necessarily for us, but it could be with us. There’s definitely more action.”

Pick pending
Scott declined comment when asked about Kumar Rocker, the Mets’ only unsigned Draft pick. Rocker traveled to New York for his physical last week, according to multiple sources, but he did not immediately sign like the Mets’ other picks despite previously agreeing to terms on a $6 million deal.

Scott said he will not address Rocker’s situation until after the Aug. 1 deadline to sign picks.