PORT ST. LUCIE — Carlos Beltran’s rest period is about finished.
The hobbled right fielder is expected to receive clearance today to resume baseball activities, nine days after incurring tendinitis in his left knee. Beltran has appeared in just one Grapefruit League game this spring as he attempts to strengthen both knees.
Manager Terry Collins said Beltran probably will take batting practice and make throws today, but won’t be pushed too hard.
“One thing I don’t want to have happen is a step backwards,” Collins said. “We’ve made strides forward in the last few days and I want to continue moving forward.”
Collins said he still is hopeful Beltran can be ready for April 1, when the Mets open their season.
“You can get a position player ready,” Collins said, noting that Beltran can take extra at-bats in minor league games. “We can get him 40 or 50 at-bats.”
Oliver Perez had a second straight solid appearance since moving to the bullpen as a lefty specialist. Perez retired two of the three batters he faced — walking one — in the Mets’ 5-2 victory over the Nationals. Collins said he expects the battle for bullpen jobs to last until the final day of camp. Perez is scheduled to pitch again Friday and Saturday.
*
Johan Santana played catch, as scheduled. A report surfaced over the weekend indicating that Santana had a setback in his rehab from shoulder surgery and might be shut down, jeopardizing his season, but the lefty was all smiles as he threw.
“Best day yet,” pitching coach Dan Warthen said, when asked about Santana’s workout.
*
Ike Davis was involved in a minor traffic accident Monday on his way to a fishing trip, but said he was uninjured. Davis was rear-ended on Route 1 and said several of the fish he planned to use as bait were killed by the impact.
*
Jenrry Mejia was optioned to minor league camp. The right-hander is expected to begin the season as a starting pitcher for Triple-A Buffalo.
*
The Mets will head to Florida’s west coast for a two-day swing against the Twins and Red Sox in Fort Myers beginning today.
The Mets play the vast majority of their Grapefruit League games against the Braves, Nationals, Marlins and Cardinals because they are within a two-hour drive of here, but Collins said he is hopeful the Mets will expand their schedule on Florida’s west coast in the future.
“There’s no reason we don’t take this trip and go over and play the Yankees and Phillies — that would be something a lot of people would be excited about,” Collins said.