The plan to activate Angel Pagan from the disabled list on Saturday has been scrapped.

After playing a second full rehab game in the Florida State League on Thursday night, Pagan complained of pain with the strained left oblique that sent him to the disabled list on April 22, Terry Collins said.

Pagan was en route to New York to be examined by team doctors. Clearly, a recurrence of discomfort requires a shutdown period, meaning Pagan may now be at least a few weeks from returning.

"He played and said he's been feeling fine," Collins said. "And yesterday a couple of guys talked to him and he said he was feeling fine. Last night, after the game, he felt that he could swing. We were hoping he would be here [active] tomorrow. We just felt he wasn't ready for that, and that there was some discomfort and that ... tenderness."

Jason Pridie is scheduled to start his ninth game in center field on Friday since Pagan landed on the DL. Scott Hairston has started three times and Willie Harris has started once during that span.

"We need him back, and we want him back," Collins said about Pagan. "It certainly just prolongs the whole thing. But ultimately we've got to make sure he's ready to play, and he's not."