Brett Baty was lifted from the Mets loss to the Rays on Sunday in the seventh inning after feeling tightness in his right groin.
Manager Carlos Mendoza described Baty as day to day, saying there are no X-rays or MRI exams currently scheduled.
“I was going for a foul ball that was flared toward the tarp and I kinda stepped over with my left [foot], kinda backwards, and I just felt a little tightness in my right groin,” Baty said after the 9-0 defeat.
Ronny Mauricio pinch hit for Baty and played the last three innings.
The Mets are already missing Mark Vientos at third base with a hamstring injury, though the 25-year-old is set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.
Baty, who has struggled this year aside from a red-hot May, was 0-for-2 on Sunday and finished the weekend with just one hit across three games — a home run on Saturday.
“I want to see how it feels tomorrow first,” Baty said when asked about his concern level. “I think what we’re gonna do is just take it day by day, ’cause something like this has happened to me in the past. I responded well to treatment and stuff. We’re just gonna see how it feels tomorrow.”
Two years ago, Baty said he felt a similar tightness in his left groin after stealing a base, but it was resolved with treatment.
The Mets were hitless with runners in scoring position on Sunday, continuing a season-long trend that saw them enter Sunday 27th in batting average with runners in scoring position.
“I’m not gonna make too much out of it,” Mendoza said. “As long as we continue creating traffic, I like our chances with guys at the plate.”
Francisco Lindor was the DH for the first time this season on Sunday, with Luisangel Acuña coming back into the lineup for the first time in 10 days at shortstop.
Mendoza said Lindor’s fractured pinky toe is “getting better” and shouldn’t be a yearlong issue.
“We feel like at some point he’ll heal, he’ll be close to 100 percent,” Mendoza said.
The Mets will hold an event on Monday to announce a partnership with Stop & Shop.
The grocery chain will donate $20,000 and a commercial refrigerator to the good pantry at P.S. 045 Clarence Witherspoon as part of the event, which will also include the Mets Citi Field Food Truck delivering fresh produce to 100 local families.
