PORT ST. LUCIE — Carlos Beltran has beaten the clock and convinced the Mets he should be their Opening Day right fielder.
The team decided yesterday that Beltran, recovering from left knee tendinitis, will play today’s Grapefruit League game against the Nationals, effectively ending the debate over whether he should start the season on the disabled list.
Once Beltran appears in a Grapefruit League game, the Mets cannot backdate a DL stint.
After playing right field in minor-league games over the weekend, Beltran had a scheduled day off yesterday even before the Mets and Marlins were rained out.
But Beltran convinced manager Terry Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson during a morning meeting that he’s ready to face major-league competition.
“It does present a risk,” Alderson said.
“But at some point you’ve got to roll the dice, and given his firmness about how he feels and the fact he is ready to go, I think we’ve decided this is probably the best thing for us.”
The Mets will welcome back Beltran with open arms. Though he played one game as the designated hitter earlier this month, Beltran has not appeared in Grapefruit League action as the right fielder.
“We’ve been working together, working hard in some outfield sections, but we still have to get used to each other,” said Angel Pagan, who took over center field last month when Beltran agreed to change positions.
“I have to try and get used to [Beltran’s] voice and how loud he calls for the ball.
That is something where center field has the priority, so it’s his [the center fielder’s] ball until I call it.
“Whenever I call it, he’ll get out of the way. But he’s a very smart outfielder, and I’m sure he’ll understand his role now.”
Pagan, among Beltran’s confidants on the team, said having Beltran for Friday night’s opener at Florida will be nice, but it’s more important his friend is healthy.
“Obviously we don’t want him to rush and have a setback or anything like that,” Pagan said.
“But he feels he can be ready for Opening Day, and we respect that. We’re all looking forward for that. And if he says he’s going to be ready, he’ll be ready. I think he’s smart enough to make the right decision.”
Collins had recently indicated Beltran would be the cleanup hitter if he played the opener, but the manager yesterday sidestepped the question, saying he’ll wait until later in the week to make a batting order.
The issue is whether Beltran’s timing at the plate is right after missing so much of spring training. Collins will watch Beltran closely today and try to determine where the right fielder is with his stroke.
As for right field, Collins isn’t expecting too much too soon from Beltran.
“It will be a work in progress, probably,” Collins said.
“The more comfortable he gets in right field, obviously, the better he’ll play. The more at-bats he gets, the more confidence he has. I think he was just making sure his legs felt OK. It’s all about confidence.”
Just Beltran’s presence in the lineup should count for something.
“He’s going to give us a lot of versatility and power in the lineup,” Pagan said.
“We need it. We were very optimistic that he was going to be [ready] Opening Day, and hopefully it will happen.”