ESPN.com reports that Pedro Martinez told a Dominican television station that he hopes to return to the Metsâ starting rotation before the end of April. Omar Minaya told The Post this week that the right-hander wasnât expected back until mid-May or early June.
“We will give everyone the surprise of the month, I think, if things keep going well and there are no further delays,” the Web site says Martinez told television channel CDN-37.
Martinez injured his left hamstring in his first start of the season, April 1.
“I am surprised with the way I am recovering. It’s going much faster than I thought. Everything is moving smoothly,” Martinez said in the report. “The Mets know that I’m working and that I will not abandon them. I don’t want it to be a long wait like everybody thinks.”
Mets coach Guy Conti told ESPN.com’s Amy K. Nelson that Martinez’s rehabilitation was going better than expected.
“He’ll be back with this team, I would say, four weeks,â Conti told Nelson. âThat’s my guess, four weeks.â
