Collins hoping to have Wright back on Saturday

NEW YORK -- Rather than watch Sunday night's Subway Series finale from the dugout, where he had spent each of the previous two games, Mets third baseman David Wright caught a flight down to Florida. There, he plans to begin participating in baseball activities Monday for the first time since straining his right hamstring on April 14.

Though Wright is eligible to return from the disabled list on Thursday, manager Terry Collins called that not "realistic." If Wright can return by Saturday, Collins said, that would be "really good."

The Mets first want to see how Wright's hamstring responds to fielding ground balls, jogging and running the bases early this week. At the time of Wright's injury, general manager Sandy Alderson called a three-week timetable more realistic than two.

Nothing has changed that as of yet, prompting Alderson to say Sunday, "I'm not making any predictions."

Wright was hitting .333 with one home run in eight games prior to his injury. Entering Sunday's play, Eric Campbell was batting .267 with one home run and a .400 on-base percentage in 10 games as Wright's replacement. The Mets went 9-1 in those games.