Mets sit struggling Reyes to give him a mental break

Jose Reyes is probably getting some time off, even though he doesn't feel it's warranted.

The New York Mets infielder will be on the team's bench beginning Thursday against the Miami Marlins in order to give him a mental break, manager Terry Collins told Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Reyes, 33, has gotten off to an atrocious start, hitting just .054 with 11 strikeouts in 37 at-bats.

"I don't want any day off at this point, but (Collins) is the skip, so I have to take it," said Reyes, who was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Reyes' off-the field issues could be a factor in his poor start. The four-time All-Star was recently sued for child support by an ex-girlfriend, which comes almost a year after he was suspended by Major League Baseball for his involvement in a domestic violence incident.

"Maybe skipping a game, maybe that is a good thing, to give me a day off, even if I think the other way," Reyes said. "I want to be in the lineup, because if I'm going to get out of this slump I have to be playing, no sitting down."

Since returning to the Mets last June, Reyes has appeared in 69 games, hitting eight home runs and recording 24 RBI while stealing nine bases.