Mets designate Miguel Batista for assignment

After lasting just three innings in his spot start on Saturday, the Mets designated right-hander Miguel Batista for assignment.

By C. Trent Rosecrans

Jul 22, 2012 at 11:15 am ET • 1 min read

Miguel Batista was designed for assignment after his three-inning start on Saturday. (Associated Press)

Not that this will come as a shock, but the Mets have designated right-hander Miguel Batista for assignment, the team announced.

Batista, 41, lasted just three innings against the Dodgers on Saturday as the Mets dropped their eighth game in their last nine and fell to .500 on the season at 47-47.

Batista was 1-3 with a 4.82 ERA in 30 games for the Mets, including five starts. Saturday's start was his first since May, starting because the Mets have three starters on the disabled list after Johan Santana was put on the DL earlier in the day.

The Mets didn't have great expectations for Batista's start, but they needed him to eat innings after the bullpen was forced to throw six innings on Friday because of Santana's injury. Yet, manager Terry Collins needed to find six innings from his bullpen on Saturday for the second straight day, even using starter R.A. Dickey and his knuckleball in the ninth inning.

Batista is 102-115 with a 4.49 ERA in parts of 18 seasons in the big leagues with 10 teams. He joined the Mets last July after being released by the Cardinals.