--2B Luis Castillo is day-to-day with a strained left quad. Castillo was injured running out a triple Sunday and had an MRI the following day. INF Damion Easley, playing in place of Castillo, hit his first homer of the season.

--CF Carlos Beltran is starting to shake his season-long slump. Beltran has nine RBIs in his last four games. Beltran was hitting .211 at the end of April, but has raised his average to .246.

--RHP Nelson Figueroa (2-3) was hammered Monday by the Nationals, giving up six runs in five innings on five hits and five walks. "They were cheering in the dugout like a bunch of softball girls," Figueroa said. "I am a professional, I take great offense to that... They won tonight, but in the long run, look who they are, a last-place team."

--LHP Johan Santana is set to start Thursday's game against Washington but could be pushed back to start Friday against the Yankees. Mike Pelfrey currently is scheduled to start that night.

--RHP Matt Wise, on the disabled list with a strained right forearm, returned to the team's spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla., to continue his rehab. Wise spent the weekend with the team in New York, but was not activated.

BY THE NUMBERS -- .136: SS Jose Reyes' batting average over the last seven games.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He might drive you nuts every once in a while, but he competes, man." - Manager Willie Randolph, on inconsistent LHP Oliver Perez.

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