PHILADELPHIA — It’s hard to imagine Sunday having gone any worse for the Mets.
First, they lost Francisco Lindor to a recurrence of the back injury that kept him out Saturday.
And then, to make matters worse, they lost another heartbreaker to the Phillies.
They could hardly afford either setback with time running down in the regular season and while trying to hold off the Braves for the final wild card in the National League.
The 2-1 loss was a second straight painful defeat to the first-place Phillies, as Edwin Diaz allowed a game-winning single to J.T. Realmuto in the bottom of the ninth.
Diaz opened the inning by striking out Bryce Harper before Nick Castellanos singled to right.
Castellanos stole second as Alec Bohm whiffed for the second out, but Realmuto ended the game with a base hit to right that scored Castellanos.
“We are really disappointed,” Diaz said. “It was a tough series. We got the lead in all three games and the last two games, we couldn’t finish it. We played a really good team. They know how to come back and they did it twice.”
The uncertainty surrounding Lindor’s injury could have even larger ramifications for the Mets as they return home to host the Nationals, who have played better of late.
Lindor is scheduled to get an MRI exam Monday on the back injury he suffered in the series opener Friday and there’s no guarantee they’ll get much from their shortstop the rest of the way.
“I’m somebody that wants to be available as many times as I can,” Lindor said. “It’s difficult to come out of a game and not be there for my teammates. It doesn’t feel good.”
Still, the shortstop said he was confident the Mets would be able to reach the postseason, even if he’s out.
“Of course,” Lindor said. “I believe in this team.”
The road ahead would be considerably harder without him, especially with a series against the Phillies next week at Citi Field followed by a final road trip with stops in Atlanta and Milwaukee.
“I have a lot of confidence in the guys,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ve shown it all year after tough losses, our ability to come back and find a way. It’s not gonna be any different here.”
The bottom of the ninth spoiled a gem by David Peterson, who tossed seven scoreless innings before allowing a run in the eighth.
Peterson was matched throughout the afternoon by another left-hander, Cristopher Sanchez, who kept the Mets off the scoreboard until Tyrone Taylor, filling in for Starling Marte, homered to lead off the top of the eighth.
The Mets stranded runners on the corners against Orion Kerkering when Brandon Nimmo grounded out to end the inning.
Peterson gave up a double to left-center to Weston Wilson to open the bottom of the eighth.
Buddy Kennedy followed with a double to left to tie the game.
A sacrifice bunt by Johan Rojas moved Kennedy to third for Kyle Schwarber.
With the infield in and one out, Peterson got Schwarber to ground to second, keeping Kennedy at third and the game tied.
Phil Maton entered and got Trea Turner to fly to right.
After the Mets went quietly in the top of the ninth, Diaz entered.
Following the strikeout of Bohm and with Castellanos on second, Mendoza said he thought about walking Realmuto, but never seriously considered it.
“We talked about it, but it’s Edwin Diaz,” Mendoza said. “He’s one of the best closers in the game.”
Diaz threw a 99-mph four-seamer up and on the outside corner — which is where he wanted it — but Realmuto shot it into right.
“We had an opportunity and didn’t get it done,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got to turn the page.”
