ATLANTA — Pete Alonso took a detour back to New York on Thursday for an MRI exam, a day after he was drilled by a pitch in the left wrist and forced to depart in the first inning against the Braves.
The Mets first baseman underwent a CT scan in Atlanta in the morning, according to manager Buck Showalter, and then flew to New York for the additional test. Initial X-rays on the wrist, taken on Wednesday, were negative according to the team.
But there was some level of concern after the Mets lost 13-10 to the Braves in 10 innings on Thursday that Alonso might need a stint on the injured list.
Showalter said he would leave it to general manager Billy Eppler to divulge the diagnosis on Alonso before the Mets play in Pittsburgh on Friday.
“I’m not going to handicap it,” Showalter said.
Mark Vientos received the start at first base in Alonso’s absence and finished 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Mark Canha played the position after Alonso left the game the previous night.
Among the players the Mets can least afford to lose for an extended stretch is Alonso, whose 22 homers entering the day led MLB.
“We haven’t gotten any definitive thoughts one way or the other, but we are trying to get definitive about it,” Showalter said. “My hope is he flies to Pittsburgh [on Friday] and plays for us.”
Alonso was drilled with a 97-mph fastball by Charlie Morton. The Braves right-hander later sought out Alonso to apologize and check on him.
Francisco Alvarez started for the first time as the DH — batting second in the lineup — and blasted two home runs.
Daniel Vogelbach, the Mets’ primary DH against right-handers, was on the bench in the midst of a 1-for-19 skid that lowered his OPS to .639 for the season.
The Mets’ six-game losing streak is their longest since 2019. The Mets also lost their first game this season in which they led after eight innings – they had won their previous 27.