MLB odds: Mets-Angels

The New York Mets lost in Jerry Manuel's debut as interim manager Tuesday night in Anaheim and have lost eight of their last 12 games, but Manuel expects a different club beginning for Wednesday night's game against the Angels.

"Hopefully now that the cloud has lifted, we can get back to playing baseball. We've got a good team," Manuel said. "It's just a matter of all of us getting on the same page and doing the things we need to do to win."

However, the Mets may be without catalyst Jose Reyes tonight.

Reyes left Tuesday's game after tweaking his hamstring on a first-inning single. Reyes tried to stay in the game, but Manuel replaced Reyes with Damion Easley. Reyes threw a temper tantrum while heading to the dugout, obviously upset to be taken out of the game with what was called left hamstring stiffness.

"I wanted to play, but (interim manager Jerry Manual) was just watching out for me," Reyes said. "I understand what I did wrong and I apologized. My leg is good, and I'll play (Wednesday)."Reyes, hitting .292 with 8 homers and 29 RBIs, is listed as day-to-day.

"Jose loves to play and he hates to come out, but this is my first game and I'm not going to lose my best player for a period of time," said Manuel. "No matter how much he wanted to play, he was coming out."

Reyes has battled hamstring troubles throughout his career. His left hamstring is the same muscle that forced him to miss two games in April. Reyes has gone 12-for-37 (.324) with five doubles, four stolen bases and eight runs in the last nine games.

"I know my body now," Reyes said. "I know when it's worse, when it's so-so and when it's good. It's not that bad."

The Mets start Oliver Perez tonight against the Angels' Jon Garland.

Perez (5-4, 4.98 ERA) has allowed two runs and seven hits with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 12 1-3 innings over his last two starts, going 1-0.

Garland (6-4, 4.13), who is making his first start against the Mets, had gone 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA over seven starts. But he was roughed up in his last start, allowing five runs and 12 hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 5-2 loss to Atlanta.

The Angels opened as -135 money line betting favorites at WagerWeb.com.