PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Pedro Martinez has the kind of mild calf injury that probably wouldn’t keep him off the mound in the postseason.

But with the New York Mets holding a double-digit lead in the NL East, there’s no way they’re taking any chances with their All-Star ace.

Martinez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a minor strain in his right calf, a move manager Willie Randolph called a “precaution.”

The three-time Cy Young Award winner was examined in New York on Tuesday, one day after the injury forced him out of his start against Philadelphia following the worst first inning of his career.

“He felt he couldn’t get as loose as he wanted to,” Randolph said before Wednesday night’s game against the Phillies. “It wasn’t anything we talked about prior to the game. He said he had it for a couple of games. Sometimes it loosens up, sometimes it doesn’t. Any time you have to take him out over something like that, I think it’s important to take precautions and put him on the DL.”

In his second season with the Mets, Martinez is 9-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 20 starts. He missed a month earlier this season because of inflammation in his right hip. He has 125 strikeouts and 35 walks in 122 innings.

“I think the main thing is that his arm feels great,” Randolph said. “He’ll be able to do his long toss and keep his arm strong. To me, it’s more of a precaution than anything. I’m sure if we were in a different situation later in the season, I’m sure he could have gone out and pitched the way he has off and on the last couple of times out.”

Right-handed reliever Heath Bell was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take Martinez’s spot on the roster. Bell was 0-0 with a 3.20 ERA in 16 games with the Mets this season.

The Mets said Martinez, who will wear a protective boot, felt the strain while warming up before Monday night’s game. He gave up six runs and was pulled after only one inning.

Randolph said Martinez felt something in the calf during a start against Florida on Aug. 3, but was able to get it loose and allowed one run in six innings.

His rough outing against the Phillies was his second-shortest start ever – on June 20, 1995, he got only two outs for Montreal while giving up five runs to Houston. He had never allowed six runs in the first inning, the Elias Sports Bureau said.

Randolph said he’ll decide in the next day or two who will take Martinez’s turn in the rotation.

AP-ES-08-16-06 1736EDT