MLB

Baxter glad to be back with Mets

SAN FRANCISCO — Mike Baxter says he wouldn’t trade the catch he made to help preserve Johan Santana’s no-hitter for the two months of action it cost him.

“That’s a night I will never forget and I don’t think anybody with the team will ever forget it,” Baxter said yesterday upon rejoining the Mets, fully recovered from the dislocated collarbone he suffered on June 1. “It’s part of the game, but I wouldn’t trade it in to give up what happened that night.”

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Baxter had emerged as a dependable lefty bat, hitting .323 with 10 RBIs in 65 at-bats and just hopes to regain his previous form. Manager Terry Collins may get Baxter in the starting lineup as soon as tonight or tomorrow but was non-committal whether that would mean sitting struggling Jason Bay.

Bay entered last night’s game against the Giants in an 0-for-22 skid and could lose his hold on the starting left-field job by the conclusion of this road trip. Though Baxter could be Bay’s replacement, he isn’t allowing himself to think in those terms just yet.

“It’s nice that they gave me an opportunity to come back to the team,” Baxter said. “I’m just going to try and have good at-bats and play good defense. That’s what I was saying from day one and that’s my role on this team.”

* Frank Francisco is scheduled to pitch the next two days for Double-A Binghamton and then rest on Thursday, meaning he wouldn’t rejoin the Mets before this weekend in San Diego at the earliest. Francisco has been on the disabled list since June 23 with a strained left oblique.

* Santana (ankle) is scheduled to begin throwing from a mound on Thursday, and the Mets are optimistic he will rejoin the rotation next week at Citi Field. That would leave last night’s pitcher, Jeremy Hefner, with only a Saturday start at San Diego in Santana’s place.

* Daniel Murphy was given a night off against lefty Madison Bumgarner, giving Ronny Cedeno a start at second base. Collins expects to give David Wright one of the next two nights off.

* There was no indication the Mets are preparing to make a deal before today’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trading deadline. Collins said he expects to have the same roster at game time tonight as he did yesterday.