Delgado Out Friday, Doubtful For Weekend

Carlos Delgado will not be in the lineup Friday night as the Mets take on the Philadelphia Phillies in Citizens Bank Park due to right hip soreness, according to rotoworld.com.

Delgado received an anti-inflammatory injection earlier in the week, and was on track for a return to the lineup Friday. Delgado missed the entire series with the Marlins and has not played since Sunday.

With a left-hander pitching Saturday in Jamie Moyer, the Mets may hold off on a Delgado return. On Sunday, the weather is looking to be in the neighborhood of 59 degrees with an 80% chance of precipitation, so the Mats may not want him to play or play him for a few innings.

In his pre-game chat with the media, manager Jerry Manuel admitted that the team will consider shelving the slugging first baseman if he doesn’t show improvement by Saturday. Delgado, who injured the hip sliding into third base on triple on Sunday, will not start for the fourth consecutive game. The team could put him on the DL retroactive to Monday if necessary.

“I think in all honesty (Saturday) will be a big day for him,” Manuel said. “If he is still struggling with that and not used (Friday night), then that would be something that we have to at least visit.”