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Aug 25, 2009 - 6:08 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

New York (57-67) at Florida (65-59), 7:10 p.m. EDT

A return home could be just what the Florida Marlins need to end a sluggish stretch and begin a run at the NL wild card. Not having to face Johan Santana should also help.

The Marlins look to get their 10-game homestand off to a strong start Tuesday night when they host the struggling New York Mets.

Florida (65-59) has dropped five of seven, capped by Sunday's 7-5 loss at Atlanta to conclude a 2-4 trip. That rough stretch cost the Marlins 4 1/2 games in the wild-card standings, dropping them 5 1/2 games behind frontrunner Colorado.

"It goes back to the old saying, it's the biggest series of the year coming up, against the Mets," outfielder Cody Ross told the Marlins' official Web site. "We have to get back to the baseball we were playing before the road trip. We just have to keep picking each other up."

The Marlins, though, have the advantage of playing five of their next six series against opponents well out of playoff contention, including a three-game set in New York (57-68) from Sept. 8-10. They're 5-4 against the Mets, taking two of three from April 10-12 at Land Shark Stadium.

"Miracles can happen," third baseman Jorge Cantu said. "I'm a believer in that. We're not disqualified until that asterisks is next to our name in the paper. That's the way I see it."

Florida may have received a big help from the Mets, who scratched Santana from Tuesday's opener of this three-game set because of discomfort in his pitching elbow. The two-time Cy Young Award winner will be evaluated by team doctors Tuesday.

He's 5-1 with a 1.68 ERA in seven games against the Marlins.

"He has not been throwing between starts for quite awhile. I would say since before the All-Star break. He has been pitching with this problem, but not with the level of discomfort he has now," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "Now, it concerns him."

Nelson Figueroa (1-2, 6.30 ERA) will get a spot start for the Mets, who have 11 players on the disabled list.

The right-hander hasn't fared well in two starts this season, losing both while giving up nine runs and 15 hits in 7 2-3 innings. He's 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA in four games - all in relief - against Florida.

New York also learned Monday that Jeff Francoeur has a torn ligament in the thumb on his non-throwing hand, and will likely need rest. The right fielder is day-to-day after hurting his finger on a diving catch in Sunday's 9-7 loss to Philadelphia before not playing in a 6-2 loss on Monday as New York lost its third straight game.

"The right thing now is to let the swelling go down. It's kind of big," Francoeur said. "I'm going to try to play through it to the end of the season. If I can rest it for two or three days and then play, I'm going to do it. You might say, 'Why bother? We only have 38 games left.' But I came here to play and I want to play."

Since joining the Mets from Atlanta in exchange for right fielder Ryan Church on July 11, Francoeur is batting .305 with six homers and 24 RBIs in 39 games.

The Marlins will give the ball to rookie Sean West (4-5, 4.70), who is looking to rebound from Wednesday's 6-3 loss at Houston, where he allowed four runs in four innings.

The 23-year-old left-hander was impressive against the Mets on May 29, yielding one run in seven innings of a 2-1, 11-inning defeat.