Nick Johnson's hamstring isn't getting better

The Marlins have been patiently waiting for Nick Johnson’s tight right hamstring to loosen up so they could avoid having to put him on the disabled list.

The first baseman, however, still isn’t feeling any better and now he doesn’t think he’ll be back Tuesday when the Marlins open a 10-game homestand starting with the Mets. Sunday morning, Johnson hit off a tee and played catch. But when he tested his hamstring with light running exercises at Turner Field it was not a success.

“It didn’t go well,” Johnson said. “I still feel it. It’s just not 100 percent.’’

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said the team still has no plans of putting Johnson on the disabled list. But that could change soon.

Johnson hasn’t played since the first game of a double-header against Colorado Aug. 15. But the longer the Marlins wait, the longer they go short a bench player. Plus, injuries are only retroactive for a maximum of 10 days, meaning after Wednesday, Johnson would still have to wait five days before returning from the disabled list.

> The prognosis for reliever Brendan Donnelly appears to be a little better. Donnelly suffered what Gonzalez described as a mild right calf strain fielding a bunt in the eighth inning Saturday night and was placed on the disabled list.

“I don’t expect it to go past 15 days,” Gonzalez said. “I think when the 15 days are up, he’ll be ready to go.”

If that’s the case, Donnelly could join the team in New York Sept. 8 – a day after he’s eligible to come off the disabled list. Right-hander Cristhian Martinez was recalled for the fifth time this season from Double A Jacksonville to take Donnelly’s spot Sunday morning.

BADENHOP CLOSE TO RETURN

Reliever Burke Badenhop is close to rejoining the team. He threw 44 pitches and 4 2/3 scoreless innings without giving up a hit for Single A Jupiter Saturday.

Gonzalez said if it wasn’t that the right-hander had pitched Saturday, the Marlins could have recalled him. Gonzalez said Badenhop, who went on the disabled list Aug. 2 with a strained right trapezius, is scheduled to pitch again Thursday in Jupiter.

> Andrew Miller (high ankle sprain) was scheduled to pitch Sunday in the Gulf Coast League.