ATLANTA — The Mets’ capacity for medical misery does seem bottomless, doesn’t it?
Just when they thought it couldn’t get any worse on the injury front, the Mets added starter Fernando Nieve’s strained right quadriceps to the insult of a 7-1 loss to the Braves here last night.
TONIGHT’S PREVIEW: Mets at Nationals
Nieve is headed to New York today for an MRI exam, the precursor to Nieve most likely occupying the ninth spot on the Mets’ almost laughably crowded disabled list.
“It’s tough to take at this point, especially since we need pitching to stay competitive,” Jerry Manuel said of the incessant injuries after his 43-48 team fell a season-high nine games behind the Phillies in the NL East.
The Mets probably can’t keep Jonathon Niese at arm’s length now after Nieve injured his leg running out a ground ball in the second inning.
Nieve suddenly collapsed in foul territory after he stepped on first base, then grabbed his leg while writhing in pain.
The right-hander was tended to by the training staff, then helped to his feet and taken away on a cart.
“It was a surprise, because I’ve never had a problem with that leg,” said Nieve, who on a positive note was able to stand after the game.
Tim Redding was immediately summoned to replace Nieve, who had thrown just 16 pitches before suffering the injury.
Manuel had said before last night’s game that he was reluctant to call up Niese, despite the young lefty compiling a 5-1 record and 0.96 ERA with two complete-game shutouts in his past eight starts at Triple-A Buffalo.
Manuel said the internal scouting reports hadn’t been as glowing as Niese’s numbers, but the Mets likely will have no choice but to turn to Niese or fellow Buffalo starters Nelson Figueroa or Ken Takahashi to fill what could be a lengthy absence for Nieve.
The Mets can bring up a position player for the next few days because Nieve’s turn in the rotation doesn’t come up again until Saturday in Houston.
Then again, the rotation spot of Livan Hernandez — tonight’s starter in Washington — also is on shaky ground due to shoddy performance.
In other words, the Mets’ rotation is as much of a mess as their performance last night once Nieve departed.
“When that happens to a team that’s gone through what we have, you can feel a different type of silence on the bench,” Manuel said of his club’s reaction to the Nieve injury.
Redding struggled yet again, giving up a homer to the second batter he faced (Yunel Escobar) and lasting just three-plus innings.
Considering the Mets practically need an act of Congress to score more than two runs, Manuel’s club was dead and buried by the time Redding departed having given up five runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks.
While Escobar was terrorizing the Mets with a 3-for-4 night that included four RBIs and fell a triple short of the cycle, Manuel’s patchwork lineup — minus Gary Sheffield (hamstring) for the second day in a row — was being shut down by a sub-.500 pitcher.
Atlanta’s Javier Vazquez improved to 7-7 by limiting the Mets to just six hits with the help of two relievers.
Even more embarrassing, the Mets managed just one hit after piecing together their lone run on a walk and two singles in the third inning.
The Mets scored just nine runs combined in their first series after the All-Star break while dropping three of the four games here.
“It’s kind of a broken record with the injuries,” David Wright said. “I don’t know what else to say. This isn’t the way it’s supposed to go. But it’s happening, and we’ve got to deal with it.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com