Mets' Zack Wheeler scratched because of elbow and finger

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) Zack Wheeler will not make his scheduled start for the New York Mets on Saturday because of elbow tenderness and a blister on his right index finger.

''He had it looked at in the offseason,'' Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said of the elbow. ''This is something he experienced a little bit in the course of last season, as well. It was managed. That's what we expect this season. We backed him off a couple days for that reason. I don't expect this is going to be serious, the tendinitis. Mostly it's the finger that's been a problem here the last few days.''

Wheeler was 11-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 32 starts last year. The 24-year-old right-hander allowed six runs in 1 2-3 innings in his spring training debut Monday, when he gave up two hits, walked two and hit two batters.