New York Mets Injury Report: Jose Reyes Headed to the DL

Now might be the time for the Philadelphia Phillies to put some distance between themselves and the New York Mets in the NL East.

New York entered play Wednesday trailing Philly by a half-game, but New York also won’t have the services of three players in the immediate future: shortstop Jose Reyes and outfielders Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church.

On Tuesday, the Mets put both Reyes and Church on the disabled list. Reyes has been hindered by tendinitis in his calf for nearly two weeks, but the Mets decided to wait. His disabled list assignment is retroactive to May 21. Church (hamstring) is retroactive to May 23.

Reyes ran Monday for the first time since injuring his calf, and when the Mets did not see the progress they had hoped for by Tuesday, they made the move.

“We just thought this was the best course of action to take today,” general manager Omar Minaya said.

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“We didn’t see the progress from yesterday to today that we wanted to see.”

Reyes and Church join Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider as Opening Day starters on the disabled list.

Mets manager Manuel said he planned to use both outfielder Angel Pagan and second baseman Luis Castillo at leadoff in place of Reyes, at least until Alex Cora returns from his thumb injury.

Beltran had an MRI earlier Tuesday and was diagnosed with a bone bruise and inflammation of his right tibia. He will likely sit out until Friday when the Mets open a three-game series with the Marlins.

“For the next series, I’ll be ready,” Beltran said.

Mets fans and backers on WagerWeb.com now get a look at one of the top prospects in baseball as the recalled outfielder Fernando Martinez — their top prospect — from Triple-A and started the 20-year-old on Tuesday against the Nationals. He finished 0 for 3 with one RBI in the Mets’ 6-1 victory over Washington.

Martinez became the youngest Mets player to make his debut since Reyes did it at age 19 in 2003.

“When I get a young player, I like to put him in the lineup right away,” Manuel said.

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