The good news is that Mets’ outfielder Starling Marte passed concussion protocol Sunday and appears to be in the clear as far as head injuries go one day after sliding into Jean Segura’s knee at third base. The bad news is that he still has neck pain and is out of the lineup Monday against the San Diego Padres, though the Mets are hopeful they can use him in later innings if necessary.
For now, Marte is still considered day-to-day.
“The concussed part of it, we think we’re in pretty good shape, but the neck is a little bit sore today,” manager Buck Showalter said Monday afternoon. “I’m hoping that it manages as we go forward and that he might be available at some point tonight, but I’m not sure yet.”
This was the second time Marte had been checked for a concussion in the last month, being hit by a pitch in the head last month during spring training. He cleared protocol without any sign of head injuries both times, which is encouraging, but the Mets are still trying to be extra cautious when it comes to the head and neck.
“He had a pretty good lick there, I could see it,” Showalter said.
The Mets can hardly afford to lose Marte for a long period of time. Marte isn’t the primary offensive driver of the lineup but he’s an invaluable piece. The lineup is heavily reliant on hitters 1-5 being able to get on base and move runners over, and Marte also brings speed and baserunning.
Through Sunday, he’s hit .303 with a home run, two RBI with four stolen bases and a 129 OPS+. Last season, the Mets’ offense sputtered without him after losing him for an extended period of time with a fractured right middle finger. There were a few big games against some bad teams but never was his absence felt more than in the final road series of the season in Atlanta when the Mets managed only seven runs in three games and stranded 16 runners.
Without Marte, the big hits the Mets needed never came.
Luckily, this injury appears to be minor.
“We hope it’s short-lived,” Showalter said. “He took a pretty good pop there, almost a form of whiplash.”
NO HARD FEELINGS
The last time the Padres were in town they knocked the Mets out of the postseason, taking the NL Wild Card series, 2-1, last October. The 101-win Mets were stunned. Some ruminated on the loss all winter. The feelings of loss and disappointment have long since faded away. The regular season is well underway and the only thing the Mets can focus on now is winning this current series.
“Yeah, it stung, but it’s a new season and we just need to focus on winning today,” first baseman Pete Alonso said. “Last year is last year. For me, I’ve kind of closed that yearbook and it’s time to move on.”
Alonso has hit safely in each of the last four games, going 6-for-16 with four runs, four home runs, nine RBI and a walk. He leads the league with five home runs, with four alone in the last three games.
“I’m not chasing and just capitalizing on stuff in my zone,” he said.
STICKING WITH IT
The Mets are rolling with Eduardo Escobar at third base despite his slow start. With Jeff McNeil playing in right field in place of the injured Marte on Monday, Luis Guillorme was needed at second base, meaning Escobar manned the hot corner and hit eighth. After homering on Saturday and doubling on Sunday, the Mets are hopeful that the veteran third baseman is starting to figure it out at the plate after a talk with the manager in Milwaukee last week.
“He’s always been the same guy through thick and thin,” Showalter said. “I think everybody feels for him a little bit and they’ll tell you. I think some of the light might be more on him at this time but he welcomes that challenge.”
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