PORT ST. LUCIE — Don’t hold your breath waiting for David Wright’s return, or for the Mets to avoid making injury news.
Wright is headed to New York to see team doctors today about his sore ribs and is expected to get a cortisone shot while he’s there.
The third baseman is out until at least the weekend, but there is no timetable for his return.
Wright is hardly alone in camp battling core-muscle injuries and Terry Collins admitted he was worried about the rash of similar oblique-related injuries.
“You’d better believe it’s troubling and we have no answers,” Collins said. “They’re in a lot of camps … I think it’s a combination of everything: dehydration, they’re so strong and work their butts off.”
But the Mets are trying to find some more precise reasons.
“We’re backing off the swings we take in [batting practice],” Collins said. “I told the guys this morning, ‘When we stretch, there’s a reason why we’re doing it.’ ”
Scott Hairston and Kirk Nieuwenhuis are among the other players who have suffered similar injuries this camp. As for Wright, general manager Sandy Alderson said it was “possible, maybe even likely” Wright would have an ultrasound-guided cortisone shot.
Collins remains optimistic Wright will be back soon.
“Hopefully they give us the go-ahead,” Collins said of Wright returning to action, since he has only been able to field grounders. “David’s been itching to take some swings.”
Wright will be joined in New York by lefty reliever Tim Byrdak, who has been bothered by a sore left knee. The Mets don’t expect Byrdak’s absence to be lengthy, but they are thin virtually all over the roster and that includes lefty relievers.
Lucas Duda (back) also sat out again yesterday, although Collins said Duda would play today against the Tigers in Lakeland.
* Jon Rauch struggled yesterday, giving up three runs in one inning and Collins attributed the rough outing to the right-hander working on different pitches. “We want them to start using their stuff,” Collins said.
Mike Baxter will be used in center field, in addition to Adam Loewen, since the Mets will need help there if Hairston is slow to come back: “He’ll be part of that role if something should happen.”