Pete Alonso injury update: Mets slugger leaves game after taking pitch to hand vs. Braves

David Suggs

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Pete Alonso injury update: Mets slugger leaves game after taking pitch to hand vs. Braves image

The National League's most fearsome slugger could be facing a spell on the sideline.

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso left Wednesday's game vs. the Braves after taking a 97 mph Charlie Morton fastball to his left wrist.

Alonso didn't look in a good way as he left the field, grimacing when being tended to. On Thursday, Alonso went back to New York following after a CT scan for an MRI and more tests, per Tim Healy.

A trip to the IL could prove disastrous for New York, which sits one game under .500 (30-31) after its late-game collapse Tuesday in Atlanta.

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Here's what you need to know:

Pete Alonso injury update

The Mets announced during Wednesday's game that Alonso suffered a left wrist contusion and X-rays were negative. He is considered day to day. He did, however, return to New York after a CT scan Thursday for an MRI and more tests.

Alonso was hurt in the first inning Wednesday. Morton wanted to come inside on MLB's home run leader but missed his spot, and his heater sped straight into the path of Alonso's hand and wrist.

Despite wearing padding on his left hand, Alonso went down in a flash. He wriggled on the ground for a bit before walking toward first base. He soon turned around, however, to meet with manager Buck Showalter and assistant athletic trainer Bryan Baca to assess his injury.

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Alonso could be seen wincing on multiple occasions as Baca grasped his left hand. He departed the game shortly thereafter.

Any potential Alonso absence could be devastating for a New York team struggling to keep pace at the top of the National League East. The Mets entered play Wednesday in third place in the division, 6.5 games back of firsr-place Atlanta and 3.5 back of the surging second-place Marlins.

Alonso has been the standout figure in a lineup that has struggled this season. His 22 home runs are three better than any other player's total in MLB. He is the only New York player with more than 50 plate appearances and an OPS above .800. And his advanced analytics are excellent: Alonso ranks in the 95th percentile or better in xWOBA, barrel rate and expected slugging.

That's not to mention the strides he has made on the defense. He's tied for the sixth-most outs above average among first basemen, with two.

All that is to say that Alonso is quite possibly the most important player on the Mets. A stint on the sideline would be highly corrosive to New York's postseason hopes, especially given the struggles of Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil, both of whom have been below league-average at the plate so far.

David Suggs

David Suggs Photo

David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News. A long-suffering Everton, Wizards and Commanders fan, he has learned to get used to losing over the years. In his free time, he enjoys skateboarding (poorly), listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and D’Angelo, and penning short journal entries.