Mets shortstop Jose Reyes has an overactive thyroid and is expected to remain in New York while the results of additional blood tests are used to determine his treatment. Doctors cleared Reyes to play Friday after he took a blood test to follow one conducted during his physical. But team doctors in New York wanted to take a closer look at the speedster and pulled him out of pregame stretching.

Johan Santana struggled in his first game since August, allowing four runs on six hits in 1 2-3 innings, and the Houston Astros beat the New York Mets 8-4 on Tuesday. Kaz Matsui hit a solo homer for the first of four straight hits in the first inning off Santana, who struck out one and walked one. The left-hander made it through the short outing with no setbacks as he continues to build strength...

With projected setup man Kelvim Escobar likely to open the season on the disabled list, the Mets signed right-handed reliever Kiko Calero to a minor league deal on March 4. Calero will compete with right-handers Ryota Igarashi and Bobby Parnell to serve as the primary setup man for closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Escobar is only being permitted to toss a baseball on flat ground, and manager Jerry Manuel said he does not expect the former Angel to be ready for opening day. Escobar, who signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal during the offseason, arrived in camp with shoulder weakness.

Despite a solid 2009 season with the Marlins, Calero remained unsigned as camps opened in Florida and Arizona.

John Maine struck out the final batter he faced, which made it easier to leave the game in the middle of an inning. Maine threw 1 2-3 innings in his spring debut Monday, finishing with four strikeouts in the New York Mets' 11-2 victory over a Florida Marlins split-squad. "I was pleased," said Maine, who allowed one run, two hits and one walk.

Oliver Perez threw strikes, and that was enough for the New York Mets for now. Perez was hit hard in his first spring start, but Omir Santos' inside-the-park grand slam helped the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 6-5 on Sunday. The Mets are looking for a big year from Perez, who finished last season on the disabled list after undergoing right knee surgery September 1.

Brad Penny's debut in a St. Louis Cardinals uniform was rocky, yet he was pleased with his first outing of the spring. Penny pitched two innings, allowing three runs and six hits in the Cardinals' 7-3 loss to a New York Mets' split squad Friday. Three of those hits were soft flyballs that landed just beyond the infield.

Tim Hudson wasn't taking his first start of the spring too seriously. Hudson allowed only two hits over two shutout innings, facing the minimum six batters in a 9-5 win over the New York Mets on Wednesday, and said he can't wait to take the mound again. "It would be an awesome thing if it were in July," Hudson said.