Roberto

Hernandez

Hernandez is on the DL with a calf strain.

Hernandez is expected to return Wednesday against L.A.

GM Ed Wade isn’t ever going to get over his ridiculous fascination with veteran relievers. The Phillies have several youngsters who could outpitch Hernandez if only given the opportunity. The team is also looking at free agents Al Levine and Kent Mercker.

Manager Larry Bowa said Hernandez was fine and available to pitch.

Hernandez has a 4.70 ERA and 25 walks in 30 2/3 innings this season.

If Hernandez goes on the DL, Jason Marquis likely will be recalled.

All this comes after he pitched two innings on Tuesday. Hernandez needs more rest that manager Willie Randolph is giving him. The inning he pitched today was his 50th of the year. The 40-year-old hasn’t thrown more than 60 innings in a second since 2001.

In exchange for Hernandez and Wells the Mets would give up Heath Bell, Anderson Hernandez and Double-A reliever Matt Lindstrom. Hernandez would immediately give the Mets’ bullpen a boost while Wells would give the rotation insurance in case aging-starters Pedro Martinez or Tom Glavine need to spend time on the disabled list in the final months of the season.

Hernandez will step into Duaner Sanchez’s eighth-inning role. This might give him a couple of more wins over the course of the season, but he’s still only a decent option in NL-only leagues.

If not for all the injuries, the Phillies probably would have released Hernandez by now. He’s managed to keep his ERA under 5.00, but he’s posted WHIPs of 1.73 and 1.68 the last two years.