"I don't blame them," manager Terry Collins said on Saturday when asked about Beltran's remarks and other teams' recruiting pitches for Reyes.
But it's clear that Collins hopes the Mets can re-sign the shortstop, saying that he couldn't imagine the team without Reyes or David Wright.
"You have to have your stars," he said.
Reyes improved his average to .334 after getting three hits in the Mets' 12-2 victory over the Braves on Friday night and stole a base. It was just his second swipe in the 17 games he's played since coming off the disabled list.
Collins praised how hard Reyes works and defended him against any false impressions.
"Sometimes it bothers me when people think, because of some of the things that he does, that he's a hot dog," Collins said. "Nobody has more fun playing the game than he does. ... That's why you find a different personality when his leg is bothering him and he can't be out there having fun."
Reyes has had two stints on the disabled list this season, and has experienced periodic tightness in his left hamstring since his most recent return. But he said that he "feels good" and reiterated that he wants to play all three games of the Braves series.
As for his future, Reyes remains noncommittal.
"We'll see what happens," Reyes said. "We'll find out soon."
