Mets place Stanton on DL; recall Bacsik

NEW YORK, May 31 (UPI) -- The injury-riddled New York Mets on Saturday placed lefthanded reliever Mike Stanton on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 22, due to inflammation of the left knee.

The move comes one day after the Mets activated veteran lefthanded reliever John Franco, who pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Stanton, who ranks fourth among active pitchers in appearances with 858, is eligible to return on June 6. He had fluid drained from the knee on Tuesday and also received a cortisone shot.

"I'm just not able to drive (the leg) with it," Stanton said. "I'm not doing anyone good at 50 percent. If I try to keep pitching with my knee I may hurt something else."

Signed as a free agent in the offseason, Stanton is 2-3 with a 5.03 ERA in 23 appearances with the Mets.

Stanton joins fellow reliever Scott Strickland, catcher Mike Piazza, first baseman Mo Vaughn, outfielder Timo Perez and infielder Jay Bell on the disabled list.

The Mets recalled pitcher Mike Bacsik from Class AAA Norfolk of the International League to replace Stanton. He was 0-5 with a 6.00 ERA in nine starts for Norfolk after being optioned on April 3.