LET’S MAKE A DEAL: Mets fans might have to get used to seeing Carlos Beltran in a different uniform because the National League’s designated hitter in tonight’s All-Star Game likely is headed out of town — with the Giants, Brewers, Red Sox and Tigers possible landing spots. (Getty Images)
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PHOENIX — Carlos Beltran, wearing a jersey with the word “National” across his chest, looked good in another uniform last night during the All-Star Game workout. Get used to it, Mets fans.
The All-Star Game is the time to showcase talent and the Mets are getting some free trade publicity out of Beltran’s appearance tonight in the 2011 game at Chase Field. National League manager Bruce Bochy, whose Giants covet Beltran, not only named the Mets right fielder to the squad, but yesterday named him his designated hitter and put him second in the NL lineup.
Just in case any American League teams are wondering how Beltran stacks up as a DH.
Beltran is ready for anything. He is saying all the right things, including that he wants to stay with the Mets, but those close to him told The Post that a trade by the July 31 deadline is inevitable and that Beltran is prepared for such a deal.
Beltran realizes a trade is in his future. He has played the most games of any Met, so he has proven he can stay healthy and on the field and he would be a great fit for an American League team that is contending and needs a switch-hitting DH.
“I’ve made it clear [to the Mets] that I am willing to listen if they want to trade me,” Beltran said. “All I want is to be with a team that has a chance to go to the playoffs.”
Right now, he thinks the Mets still have a chance to contend, but that is likely wishful thinking on his part.
Beltran is playing it perfectly.
“I know there are a lot of teams out there that are having a good season,” he said. “The Mets are playing good, better baseball than when we started the season. All we have to do is wait.”
The waiting could take a while, but Beltran is prepared for anything. The Giants could use him. There has been some talk about Milwaukee. Several AL teams could use him, specifically the Red Sox and Tigers. The Tigers had one of their chief scouts at the Mets-Giants game Friday night in San Francisco.
Boston could put Beltran in the outfield. When he was asked if he’d mind going to the Red Sox, Beltran said: “Boston has a great team. I mean they’re in first place; it’s a no-brainer.”
Adding Beltran is a no-brainer. He is having a terrific season with the Mets, batting .285 with 13 home runs and 58 RBIs.
Beltran flew to Phoenix from San Francisco with the Giants’ contingent and Bochy said he had some “small talk” with Beltran, like he did with everybody on the plane.
“I told him what a great year he was having, that was about it. You’re not getting me for tampering,” Bochy said.
Bochy noted that he picked Beltran to DH because of how well he is playing this season.
“We tried to get him to chase [pitches out of the strike zone] at our ballpark and he didn’t,” Bochy said.
Beltran did strike out three times in the final game Sunday, but as Bochy noted, “a 5 o’clock game with all the shadows, you’ll get some strikeouts.”
Beltran will get his first licks in tonight’s game against the Angels’ Jered Weaver, the AL starting pitcher. Roy Halladay will start for the NL.
“We’re playing for home-field advantage,” the Yankees’ Curtis Granderson said of the importance of the game.
This was a game skipped by a lot of stars, including Derek Jeter, who is coming off a calf injury. Nevertheless, the lineups remain power-packed.
As AL manager Ron Washington noted: “[We] have Robinson Cano hitting eighth, so all I can say is ‘Watch out, Bruce!’ ”
Beltran is sitting pretty right now.
“I like where I am and we’re having fun,” he said of the Mets. “Hopefully as a team we can improve as a team and if Johan [Santana] gets back and when [Jose] Reyes gets back we’re going to have a better ballclub than we have right now. We have a long time to see what is going to happen.”
Something will happen.