Brandon Nimmo goes on disabled list with bruised index finger 

A bruised left index finger sent Brandon Nimmo to the 10-day disabled list on Monday, and first baseman/leftfielder Dominic Smith, who joined the Mets as their 26th man for Sunday’s Little League Classic, remained with the team.

Nimmo, who will head to Port St. Lucie on Tuesday, hopes to miss only another week. He has been out since absorbing a pitch with his digit Thursday.

“We gave it a try for a few days,” said Nimmo, still relieved that it wasn’t a season-ending broken bone. “And then just decided I’m not doing any good for anybody just being able to pinch run on the bench.”

An X-ray and MRI — and two hand specialists, the Mets said — showed no structural damage. But the bruise is deep enough that Nimmo still is having trouble gripping a bat.

That affords Smith another opportunity, or at least a partial opportunity. Mickey Callaway said he probably won’t get an extended run of playing time but will get reps at first and left.

That proved troublesome Monday night when Smith collided with Amed Rosario on a shallow fly in the top of the 13th, allowing what proved to be the winning run to score in a 2-1 loss to the Giants.

Smith didn’t start Monday, entering the game as a pinch hitter in the 12th, when he struck out.

Since arriving in the majors a year ago as the Mets’ potential long-term first baseman, Smith has struggled and seen his stock drop considerably.

“Just want to see consistency of effort,” assistant general manager John Ricco said. “We know what talent he is. Just continued development.”

Is consistency of effort a concern?

“No. We look for that in every younger player,” Ricco said. “Maybe consistency of performance is a better way to say it.”

The type of role Smith has in the Mets’ future is up to him, Callaway said.

“He’s got a lot of talent,” he added. “He’s got the ability to play defense. He’s got the ability to swing the bat. The rest is going to be up to him. So I’ll leave it to him to decide exactly what he’s going to be.”  

Injury updates

Jay Bruce (strained right hip) is fine physically, Ricco said. Now it’s more about him getting his timing at the plate.

“A lot of times we rush guys back just because we need them and they’re not maybe ready timing-wise as a hitter,” Ricco said.

T.J. Rivera still is recuperating from a July setback with his surgically repaired right elbow, and the Mets aren’t sure if he’ll be back this year. “He’s going to be checked out again if he doesn’t respond here shortly,” Ricco said.

With about two weeks left in the minor-league season, Rivera is running out of time for a rehab assignment.   

Alonso anticipation

Ricco said the Mets still are undecided about calling up first-base prospect Peter Alonso in September. Among the factors: “What’s best for him,” Ricco said, plus availability of playing time at his position and whether the Mets want to use a spot on the 40-man roster for him all offseason.

“Rewarding a guy is certainly something we consider,” Ricco said. “There’s all those other factors that I just mentioned that we have to consider as well.”