PITTSBURGH — Jordany Valdespin was struggling to hold back tears — but not of joy — after last night receiving a free trip to Las Vegas.
The flamboyant utilityman was demoted to Triple-A, clearing roster space for reliever Scott Atchison after the Mets’ 4-2 loss to the Pirates at PNC Park.
Valdespin had become a non-entity in recent weeks. He struck out as a pinch-hitter Saturday night, making him 10-for-76 (.132) since May 5.
“This happens in baseball,” said Valdespin, who had been limited to pinch-hitting duty for the last month after the team experimented with him at second base for a week.
“You don’t know what they are thinking. The only thing you know is how you play baseball. I’m going to start playing. I’m not playing here.”
The move leaves Eric Young Jr. as the only backup middle infielder for today, but it’s possible Justin Turner will be ready to rejoin the team after the All-Star break.
Turner, who has missed the last three weeks with a rib cage injury, could begin a rehab assignment in the minors as soon as today.
* Ike Davis is 2-for-20 (.100) since getting three hits in his return to the major leagues nine days ago in Milwaukee. Saturday night, he went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
“I’m closer than I was to putting the ball in play,” Davis said. “I’m not striking out as much. I’m not too far off. We faced pretty good pitching the last two days. “But once again, when I get in the hitter’s counts, it’s not like they are grooving me fastballs, so I’ve really got to bear down and keep trying to have good at-bats.”
Before the game, manager Terry Collins said he wasn’t concerned. On Friday, Davis went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
“[Friday] night was different than I’ve seen,” Collins said. “The first few games, the one thing he did was lay off balls down. He didn’t [Friday] night, there were a couple of times he got himself out. But otherwise I thought his at-bats have been pretty good.”
* Collins’ rotation alignment for the start of the second half, beginning Friday against the Phillies: Jeremy Hefner, Zack
Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Dillon Gee and Carlos Torres.