MLB

Mets send slumping Bay to bench

LOS ANGELES — There is the sick bay inside the Mets clubhouse and then there is The Sick Bay.

The latter refers to a certain left fielder who is trying to prove he isn’t one of the biggest free-agent mistakes in Mets’ history.

With Oliver Perez around, Jason Bay never has to worry about claiming the outright title. But a rough first season in Queens has taken a turn downward since the All-Star break for the $66-million underachiever.

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As the scuffling Mets opened a four-game series against the Dodgers last night, Bay found himself on the bench hoping to find some answers.

“One day off will only clear your head a little bit,” Bay said before the Mets’ 2-0 loss. “Then you have to go out there after that. It’s straight battle mode all the time. It’s just not comfortable.”

After his 0-for-6 performance that included four strikeouts in the Mets’ 4-3, 14-inning loss to the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night, Bay was batting .169 (10-for-59) in July with only two extra-base hits. His six homers this season were far removed from his pace last season, when he hit 36 for the Red Sox.

“I am somewhat surprised [by Bay],” manager Jerry Manuel said. “I really thought this was kind of a good opportunity to get away from the pressures, the anxiety he has when he’s in New York. I thought he would get out here on the west coast and take off.”

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Perez earned a passing grade for his relief appearance in Arizona on Wednesday.

Manuel praised the manner in which the left-hander persevered, giving the Mets a chance with 1 1/3 scoreless innings in their 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks in the 14th.

Perez loaded the bases with one out in the 12th before retiring the next two batters without a run scoring. He left after hitting a batter and getting one out in the 13th.

“He battled out of the mess and I thought he was real effective against the lefties,” Manuel said. “They had quite a few in there. The lefties, I didn’t think they had real good swings, so that’s a plus for him.”

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Fernando Nieve was designated for assignment after the game. Manny Acosta is expected to arrive from Triple-A Buffalo today to take Nieve’s roster spot. Nieve was 2-4 with a 6.00 ERA in 40 appearances for the Mets. He was the losing pitcher in the 14th inning against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

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The Mets’ loss at Arizona on Wednesday was their 11th walk-off defeat of the season, the most in the major leagues.