updated 11:50 p.m. ET July 19, 2008

CINCINNATI - The Philadelphia Phillies won’t see Pedro Martinez.

The New York Mets decided to wait until next weekend to let their 36-year-old pitcher take the mound again, giving him more time to recover from a groin injury. That means he won’t pitch during a three-game series against the Phillies that starts at Shea Stadium on Tuesday.

Martinez strained his groin while running the bases on July 7. Five days later, he left his start against Colorado after only four innings because of tightness in his shoulder — he assumed he had changed his delivery to compensate for the groin injury.

He got a cortisone shot on Thursday in New York to help the groin heal. He flew to Cincinnati on Saturday and threw in the Mets’ bullpen during the sixth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds, seeing how the shoulder and groin reacted.

“OK, for the time being,” Martinez said. “I’d say it’s a positive day. We’re going to see how it feels tomorrow.”

Originally, manager Jerry Manuel planned to have Martinez throw in the bullpen on Saturday, see how he did, then decide whether to let him open the series against the Phillies on Tuesday. Manuel was already having second thoughts before Martinez arrived in town.

“We’re kind of wavering a little bit simply because he hasn’t picked up a ball, hasn’t been able to throw since his last outing,” Manuel said.

By the end of the game, the decision was made.

First place in the NL East will be at stake when the Mets and Phillies meet. Philadelphia still held a one-game lead following the Mets’ loss on Saturday.

The current plan is to have Martinez play catch on Sunday, see how he reacts, then figure out which game to let him pitch during a series next weekend against St. Louis.

“I understand his (bullpen) session was excellent,” Manuel said.

Martinez is 3-2 with a 6.25 ERA, making nine starts and pitching 44 2-3 innings. He missed about two months this season because of a strained left hamstring.

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