PORT ST. LUCIE — Oliver Perez threw strikes last time, but can he get batters out?
The Mets will want to see better results from the lefty today, when he gets the ball against the Tigers at Tradition Field. Perez was scheduled to face the Twins yesterday in Fort Myers, but the game was rained out.
Perez, Mike Pelfrey, John Maine and Johan Santana all made their first spring start over the last week, and only Maine was convincing. Perez struggled against the Nationals on Sunday, allowing five earned runs on seven hits over three innings.
But pitching coach Dan Warthen liked the fact the erratic Perez, in his first game since right knee surgery last August, walked just one batter and threw 33 of 49 pitches for strikes.
The goal this time is to continue throwing strikes — manager Jerry Manuel has preached that to all his pitchers this spring — and get more outs.
* The Mets weren’t thrilled to ride the bus three hours to Fort Myers only to turn around and head back 15 minutes after arrival because of a steady downpour. The team bus departed Tradition Field at 7:15 a.m. and returned around 1:30 p.m. Manuel might have been the only person on the bus who didn’t mind the ride.
“I watched ‘Ghandi’ again,” Manuel said. “We’re in good shape.”
The Mets will make virtually the same trip on Wednesday, when they face the Red Sox in Fort Myers. Such is spring travel for a team that has just three major league opponents — the Cardinals, Marlins and Nationals — within a 75-mile radius.
* Santana’s second Grapefruit League start will come tomorrow against the Marlins in Jupiter. John Maine will pitch in a “B” game against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
mpuma@nypost.com