Ruben Tejada may not return from his strained right quad for awhile longer.
The rehabbing Mets shortstop ran the bases yesterday in Florida, but it didn’t go ideally. Terry Collins called it “just so-so” and while he insisted Tejada did not have a setback, he said it wasn’t major advancement either.
“Not a big step forward,” Collins said before the Mets’ 6-1 victory over the Padres last night. “I know they’re gonna bring him along a little slowly.”
This is dispiriting news for the Mets, who could use Tejada to return. Ronny Cedeno (0-for-4) has fared well as the interim shortstop, but the career .246 hitter going into this season (with a career .286 on-base percentage) is probably playing over his head and is due to regress. Tejada, who has not played since May 6, is hitting .305 with a .362 OBP.
* Collins said Jeremy Hefner is in line to start again for the Mets, despite allowing six runs on Thursday. The manager is hoping that Miguel Batista, who’s on the disabled list with lower back stiffness, can return after that.
Meanwhile, RHP Chris Young (shoulder surgery) made his third minor league start for Single-A St. Lucie last night, allowing three runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. He threw 74 pitches.
* After having Cedeno lead off for the first time this season on Thursday, Collins moved him to the seventh spot last night and had Mike Baxter (1-for-4, RBI) leading off. The main reason was because Padres righty Anthony Bass was on the mound (Baxter hits lefty, Cedeno righty).
Rob Johnson (1-for-3) was behind the plate for a second straight night. Collins wants Mike Nickeas to catch today and tomorrow.
* The Mets recalled righty reliever and Staten Island native Jack Egbert, demoting lefty reliever Robert Carson. … Reliever D.J. Carrasco, who had been designated for assignment last Thursday, was released yesterday.
* RHP Pedro Beato (shoulder) was promoted from Single-A St. Lucie to Triple-A Buffalo and is eligible to come off the DL a week from Sunday. … Josh Thole (concussion) is set to do some catching on Monday, presumably in PSL. … The Andres Torres (0-for-1) documentary on his ADHD will premiere Thursday night at 7 pm at NYU’s School of Medicine. The film is called “Gigante.”
