Thole sits out with bruised hand
WASHINGTON -- Once Josh Thole can grab a bat and fit his left hand into a glove, he'll be fine. But that's not expected to happen for a couple of days, which is when the Mets hope the swelling has subsided enough to allow Thole to play again.
"There's no break in it, no damage," Thole said. "It's just hard to squeeze. Once I get all that out of there, I'll be fine."
Thole suffered the bruised hand Thursday in the second inning on a cross-up with starter Miguel Batista. Thole called for a slider and instead got a fastball, which clanged off the base of his left hand. He visited a hand specialist Friday and rejoined the Mets at Nationals Park.
Mike Nickeas started Friday night's series opener against the Nationals and Terry Collins said he expects to use Ronny Paulino -- who is nursing a broken toe himself -- in Saturday night's game. The emergency catcher is Nick Evans, and Collins said he might need to add a catcher if Thole's hand is slow to heal.
"If it's going to be four or five days, we may have to go get another guy," Collins said.
Davis, Santana updates
Ike Davis finally resumed baseball activity Friday in Port St. Lucie in what the Mets hope will be a chance for him to avoid surgery on his left ankle. Davis played catch, fielded 20 ground balls and hit off a tee in drills that he is expected to continue through the weekend before working out for the Mets in Miami. A decision on surgery probably will come Monday.
Johan Santana is scheduled to start for Class A St. Lucie on Saturday and pitch two innings. It will be his first game since a setback with his shoulder forced a doctor's visit in New York Aug. 4.
Extra bases
Ruben Tejada was hit twice by pitches in Thursday night's game, and the second one, which nailed him on the left middle finger, left him hurting Friday. Justin Turner started at second base, but Collins was hopeful that Tejada would be OK after batting practice . . . Lefthander Daniel Herrera, one of the two players the Mets received in the Francisco Rodriguez deal, joined the team . . . The Mets' Sept. 17 game against the Braves in Atlanta has been moved to a 4 p.m. start for Fox.
