Mets Place Miguel Batista on DL

The Mets have placed Miguel Batista on the disabled list and recalled Chris Schwinden from Buffalo.

Batista left his start in Toronto on Saturday after just two innings with a strained lower back muscle. The move has as much to do with the battered state of the Mets bullpen than the injury itself.

“He said his back feels a lot better today and we understand that,” Terry Collins said before Sunday’s game. “But… if we’ve got to pull him out of a game again in the second inning, we may not have the backup that’s needed.”

Schwinden will likely not be on the roster long. The Mets are carrying an extra pitcher right now; when Jeremy Hefner was recalled on Saturday, Jordany Valdespin was sent down, and the Mets said they intend to recall a bench player before the series begins Monday with the Pirates. Unless Manny Acosta is released (please, please), Schwinden will probably be sent back down.

That could be a good thing — Schwinden did not exactly set the world on fire in his two start audition with the Mets, going 0-1 with an 11.25 ERA. But then again, he can’t be any worse than Acosta (10.53 ERA), could he?