JUPITER, Fla. — Johan Santana felt strong for 29 pitches against the Cardinals on Tuesday, but maybe the true measure of his health will come today, when he is scheduled for a between-starts bullpen session.
The Mets lefty then is scheduled to increase his pitch count when he faces the Marlins on Sunday.
“We’ll see how he feels,” general manager Sandy Alderson said. “It’s possible his workload will be tailored to how he feels, but we won’t know that until [today].”
In his first game action against major league hitters since Sept. 2, 2010, Santana threw two scoreless innings on Tuesday. He later said his surgically repaired left shoulder was fine, but cautioned he would have to see how he responds during his next throwing session.
* Justin Turner went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, leading the Mets to a 7-0 victory over the Marlins yesterday. Turner hit a solo home run in the fifth inning as part of the Mets’ 11-hit attack.
Jose Reyes was not present — he was in Miami, where the Marlins were scheduled to face Florida International last night to help showcase the team’s new downtown ballpark. Reyes is also not expected in Port St. Lucie today when the Mets and Marlins play an exhibition game.
* David Wright might begin taking grounders over the weekend — without throwing — according to manager Terry Collins as the team continues to monitor his left rib cage. Wright, who has missed the Mets’ first three exhibition games, won’t play before early next week.
* Pedro Beato was expected to receive an MRI exam on his right shoulder after incurring stiffness during Tuesday’s exhibition game against the Cardinals. Beato, who is competing for a job in the bullpen, pitched one-third of an inning but couldn’t get loose during warm-ups before the next inning.