PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- General manager Sandy Alderson said the New York Mets will not set their Opening Day roster until Saturday. Still, Alderson is ready to declare that Daniel Murphy is expected to be active for Monday's game against the Washington Nationals in D.C.

Murphy's availability seemed suspect in recent days as he rehabbed a pulled right hamstring, which he suffered in a March 19 Grapefruit League game. Now, though, there has been a significant upgrade in the prognosis.

As the Mets head to Texas Thursday afternoon for a pair of weekend exhibition games, Alderson plans to stay behind in Port St. Lucie with Murphy and watch the second baseman play in another minor-league game Friday. Murphy took five at-bats in an intrasquad camp game Thursday but did not play the field.

"Right now the plan is for him to meet us in Washington," Alderson said. "That's a significant upgrade in his status from a couple of days ago."

Murphy's likely readiness pretty much ends the Opening Day roster candidacies of prospects Danny Muno and Matt Reynolds. Although the Mets like Muno as a future switch-hitting bench player, he is unlikely to unseat utility player Eric Campbell from the beginning of the season.