Mets To Recall Jeremy Hefner From Buffalo

The Mets announced that they will recall right-handed pitcher Jeremy Hefner from Buffalo before their 1:10 pm game against the Dodgers on Saturday. Based on Terry Collins's post-game comments this evening, Johan Santana's short-term status is up in the air after he got rocked for the third straight game.

Hefner, for what it's worth, has a 5.64 ERA in 30.1 innings with the Mets this year. He appeared in three games as a starter and eight games out of the bullpen, and he fared much worse in his brief stint in the rotation. For now, Hefner looks like an extra arm for the bullpen since Miguel Batista is scheduled to start, but he could wind up filling in for Santana, too.

Hefner has been much better in Triple-A than the big leagues, posting a 2.77 ERA as a control expert without many strikeouts. The 26-year-old provided one of the first-half highlights, however, when he hit a home run.

The Mets have not yet announced a corresponding roster move, but Kirk Nieuwenhuis could be on his way back to the minors to make room for Hefner.