The injury bug is once again biting the New York Mets at the least opportunistic time.
Just as they saw the Atlanta Braves tie their 86-51 record on Tuesday, they received the news that Max Scherzer, one of their star pitchers, will be out until at least September 19 with a left oblique injury.
Unfortunately, that’s not the only injury situation they will need to manage in the short-term.
“Starling Marte left the park again today to undergo additional testing on his right hand. The Mets wanted a clearer picture that initial images didn’t provide. Marte won’t start doubleheader Game 2. “We’re waiting with bated breath that things come back clean,” Showalter said,” MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.
Starling Marte left the park again today to undergo additional testing on his right hand. The Mets wanted a clearer picture that initial images didn't provide. Marte won't start doubleheader Game 2.
"We're waiting with bated breath that things come back clean," Showalter said.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) September 7, 2022
Marte has been one of the best and most consistent performers for the Mets this year.
Marte’s Production Would Be Hard To Replace If He Has To Miss Time
The free agent signing is hitting .292 with 76 runs, 16 home runs, 63 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and a .815 OPS.
Subtracting that production from the Mets’ lineup as other stars struggle will be very hard to deal with.
When fully healthy, there is an argument to be made that the Mets are slightly better than the Braves.
The problem, however, is that they are not exactly “healthy” at the moment.
They already lost a star pitcher for a couple of weeks, and could lose a star position player too depending on what the tests say.
The Mets’ presence in the postseason is not really in question, but winning the first-round bye in the playoffs is a team-wide priority, and they don’t seem to be in the best position to challenge the Braves for it at the moment.
NEXT: Chris Bassitt Is Stepping Up When Needed For The Mets