MLB

Ollie won’t admit he’s hurting Mets

SAN DIEGO — Oliver Perez doesn’t want to hear anything about the possibility he is hurting the Mets.

The pitch-poor lefty has come under fire from teammates who want him to accept a minor-league assignment or be released, and yesterday Perez grew indignant when asked by The Post if he was hurting the Mets by remaining on the 25-man roster.

“Why do you ask that question?” Perez snapped. “I don’t answer that.”

This came a day after The Post reported that two Mets players want Perez gone — either to the minor leagues or released — despite the roughly $20 million he is still owed on his contract.

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Perez surfaced in a mop-up role last night and was hardly stellar, allowing two runs over 2 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 18-6 loss to the Padres.

Beforehand, manager Jerry Manuel fired a subtle shot across the bow when asked if Perez is hurting the team by refusing a minor-league assignment.

“Only if we need a long reliever,” Manuel said, laughing. “[But] if a player stays here, you do everything you can to help him. We have to do everything we can to put him in a position to have success.”

Manuel had hoped Perez’s placement in the bullpen would allow the lefty to regain lost velocity, as he would be uninhibited to “air out” his pitches. But his fastball remains mostly in the high 80s, and he was hammered for three runs over two innings in a relief appearance Saturday at Milwaukee before allowing the two runs last night, including a solo homer by Chase Headley.

Perez, who is 0-3 with a 6.28 ERA, was banished to the bullpen 2 ½ weeks ago. The Mets have asked him at least twice to accept a minor-league assignment, but Perez has declined, saying he sees no benefit in facing minor-league competition.

“I want to keep doing the same,” Perez said. “I know it’s hard to work from the bullpen and come into the game, so I have to get used to it. I know everything is going to get back.

“Everything can change with just one [game]. When you’re a hitter, that can come in one game. That’s part of baseball. You have to keep positive and keep working.”