Mets place Edwin Diaz on IL, then Pete Alonso leaves vs. Dodgers after being hit on hand by pitch
Mets closer Edwin Diaz, left, and first baseman Pete Alonso. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Mets may have suffered a double whammy on Wednesday.
First, the club placed struggling closer Edwin Diaz on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement just minutes before their 4:10 p.m. game against the Dodgers.
Then, Pete Alonso left the game in the first inning after being hit on the right hand with a pitch.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Alonso's X-ray was "normal" and the club was waiting for results on a CT scan that won't be in until Thursday.
Diaz said he started feeling "tightness" in his shoulder after his last outing on Saturday. He said an ultrasound showed his shoulder looked "great" and that he plans to pitch as soon as he's eligible to come off the IL.
Alonso was trying to check his swing on a 92-mile per hour fastball from former Yankees lefthander James Paxton when the ball caught his hand.
Alonso grimaced in pain, dropped to his knees, and then walked slowly to first after removing his shin guard. But he didn’t stay there long. Alonso was replaced by pinch runner Brett Baty, who took over at third base with Mark Vientos moving to first.
Alonso, who is a free agent at season’s end, is batting .231 with 12 home runs and 26 RBIs.
Diaz has been going through a nightmare season in his return to the Mets after he missed 2023 following a torn patella tendon suffered while celebrating a victory in the World Baseball Classic.
In his last five appearances dating to May 13, Diaz has three blown saves with a 16.62 ERA. He's allowed 10 hits, eight earned runs and two home runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Overall, in 20 games, Diaz is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and five saves in nine opportunities.
Lefthander Josh Walker, who earlier in the day was sent to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Wednesday’s starter David Peterson, was recalled to replace Diaz on the roster.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
