MIAMI — Starling Marte’s right middle finger was swollen and sore Friday, keeping him on the Mets’ bench and possibly trending him toward a stint on the injured list.
The Mets outfielder planned to test the finger — diagnosed two days earlier with a non-displaced fracture — during pregame drills, to see how he could grip the bat and the baseball. Marte sustained the injury in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, when he was drilled by a pitch.
After the Mets’ 6-3 loss to the Marlins, however, manager Buck Showalter said Marte didn’t attempt any baseball activities Friday, but would try Saturday.
“He’s a good player worth waiting on,” Showalter said.
Showalter said the team would have to project when Marte could be ready if deciding to keep him on the active roster. That decision likely will come Saturday, when the Mets will begin losing backdated days for a potential IL stint.
Starling Marte was diagnosed with a fractured finger. AP Marte can still be used as a pinch runner, but Showalter said the risk of further injury to the finger sliding into a base might outweigh the benefits of such usage. The Mets also have Terrance Gore on the roster as a late-inning speed threat.
“I would be concerned about [Marte pinch-running], but if it meant winning the game I would take that chance,” Showalter said. “I am really concerned about a displacement. We’re fortunate [the fracture] is not displaced, and I wouldn’t want to take the risk of displacing it. Until they feel it’s not as much an issue, I would probably be cautious with it.”
Marte said he thought it would be at least a few days until he can rejoin the starting lineup.
“When you get an injury like this, it’s tough,” Marte said. “We’re still in first place, and to lose a guy it’s very tough. I feel sad and will keep doing what I am doing right now.”
Tylor Megill pitched a scoreless inning of relief Friday for Triple-A Syracuse. The plan now is for Megill to work more than three outs on Tuesday for Syracuse, as the Mets test him for a potential multi-inning role in the bullpen.
The Mets have been monitoring Taijuan Walker after he departed his last start with a blister on his index finger, but the right-hander remains in the rotation and is scheduled to start Sunday against the Marlins. If Walker has a setback, Trevor Williams would get the start in his place, according to Showalter.
Adonis Medina cleared waivers and was outrighted to Syracuse.
