Fernando Martinez will be the first beneficiary of the Mets adding a hitter to the lineup this weekend.
With the designated hitter in play at Yankee Stadium, manager Terry Collins yesterday said he intends to use Martinez as the DH the next two games with Carlos Beltran scheduled to DH Sunday.
The Mets, who are struggling offensively, will gladly take the bat of Martinez, who hit a pinch-hit homer last Friday night in Houston that sparked a comeback victory and then doubled the following day as the starting right fielder.
“Right now I’m ready for anything,” Martinez said before the Mets’ 1-0 victory over the Nationals.
Martinez, called up from Triple-A Buffalo last week when Ike Davis was placed on the disabled list, said he’ll have no problem adjusting to the DH role, having done it in the minor leagues.
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Beltran shrugged off the suggestion he could be playing for the Yankees before the season ends. Beltran has a full no-trade clause in his contract and would have to approve any deal.
“All I can control right now is what I do on the field,” Beltran said. “Right now I’m more concentrating on being healthy and doing the things I’m doing in order to feel the way I feel. And whatever happens, the time will come.”
Would Beltran be shocked if he were traded?
“I’m not going to think about something that I’m not sure about,” Beltran said. “I just prefer to wait until the time comes.”
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Justin Turner, who drove in the Mets’ only run yesterday with a single in the fourth inning, has reached base safely in 10 straight games. Turner is batting .382 with 12 RBIs over that stretch. . . . The Mets signed 30-year-old outfielder Jason Botts and assigned him to Buffalo. Botts appeared in 93 games for the Rangers from 2005-08 and hit .230 with five homers and 28 RBIs. He was released by the Rockies in spring training. . . . All tickets — used or unused — from Wednesday’s water-logged game against the Nationals can be redeemed starting today for complimentary tickets to the May 30 game against the Pirates at Citi Field.
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