Agbayani to join Mets tonight in Milwaukee

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Benny Agbayani is scheduled to return to the New York Mets tonight and Timo Perez is expected to follow shortly.

The Mets (8-10) open a three-game series tonight in Milwaukee.

Agbayani will be activated from the disabled list today. The former St. Louis School and Hawai'i Pacific star suffered a chip fracture near his left wrist April 8 at Montreal, courtesy of a Chris Peters fastball.

Perez will need a little more time with his strained left groin. He will remain on a rehab assignment and should be activated by Friday or Saturday.

Robin Ventura (strained right hamstring) was to be re-evaluated today, and Al Leiter (strained left elbow) is still targeted to start Saturday in St. Louis.

To make room for Agbayani, outfielder Jorge Toca is likely to be sent to Triple-A Norfolk, Va.

Last night, Agbayani went 2-for-4 with a run scored and Perez was 2-for-5 in Norfolk's 9-8 loss at Indianapolis.

REDS

Sanders wins batting honor: Deion Sanders, an eight-time Pro Bowl cornerback, has added a baseball honor to his resume.

Sanders, an outfielder for the Louisville RiverBats, has been selected as the International League's batter of the week.

Sanders put together five multi-hit games while batting .700 for the week. His 14 hits in 20 at-bats included three doubles and two triples. He scored four runs and stole two bases.

He is expected to rejoin the Reds on May 1, the first day he is eligible under baseball's rules.

ANGELS

Hill may be out weeks: Designated hitter Glenallen Hill, off to a slow start with the Anaheim Angels, could be sidelined for several weeks because of a strained muscle in his rib cage.

Acquired from the Yankees on March 28, Hill was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday.

DEVIL RAYS

Alvarez sharp in outing: Tampa Bay pitcher Wilson Alvarez threw three scoreless innings yesterday in an extended spring training game, his first game appearance in more than a year.

The left-hander had season-ending surgery to repair a partial tear in his left rotator cuff last May.

BREWERS

D'Amico's arm examined: Milwaukee pitching ace Jeff D'Amico underwent two medical exams on his right arm yesterday, but the extent of his latest injury won't be known until today.