PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets’ injury picture took a dramatic turn for the worse last night with the news that Moises Alou faces hernia surgery.
The 41-year-old left fielder can’t begin baseball activities again for a minimum of 4-6 weeks after the procedure, which is scheduled for today by Dr. Eugene Nowak at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Alou had been sent back to New York yesterday morning for an MRI exam after experiencing pain in his right groin during Monday’s Grapefruit League game against the Braves.
Awaiting medical results has become a grim and familiar routine for Willie Randolph and GM Omar Minaya this spring as important player after important player goes down or is unavailable due to injury.
Alou, who isn’t expected back until at least early May, is the latest and most serious of the various ailments to strike the Amazin’s since they arrived in Port St. Lucie. His absence and other injuries mean the Mets will have to go with career reserves Angel Pagan and Brady Clark or make a trade to fill out their outfield.
“I myself have never seen so many injuries at one time, especially small injuries,” Minaya said before yesterday’s 3-2 win over the Dodgers. “The good thing is that we’re early in camp.”
Alou wasn’t even the only ailing Met to leave Port St. Lucie yesterday. Pitcher Jason Vargas was sent to Philadelphia to see a specialist after hurting his left hip Monday.
But Alou’s condition is by far the most pressing for the Mets. Although he turns 42 in July and was limited to just 87 games last year because of various ailments, Alou is considered a pivotal part of their hopes this season.
Alou, who is a disabled-list regular but doesn’t have a history of groin injuries, is off to a terrible start at the plate this spring. He is hitless in 10 at-bats with two strikeouts and a double-play groundout.
“If there was a week to go in spring training, I would be pretty nervous about all the injuries,” Randolph said before learning Alou needed surgery. “But it’s way too early, and we’ve got people coming back.”
First baseman Carlos Delgado (hip) is scheduled to take batting practice today, and center fielder Carlos Beltran (knee surgeries) and backup outfielder Endy Chavez (hamstrings) should make their spring debuts by early next week.
Delgado’s quick return is vital, because first base is a ghost town these days with backups Marlon Anderson (bruised chest) and non-roster hopeful Michel Abreu (hip) also out. The Mets resorted to Olmedo Saenz and rookie-leaguer Nick Evans at first yesterday.
Elsewhere on the Mets’ injury front, catcher Brian Schneider (hamstring) moved closer to a return at the same time right fielder Ryan Church was taking a step back. Church, who suffered a Grade 2 concussion in a nasty, on-field collision with Anderson on Saturday, experienced dizziness in the clubhouse in the morning and was sent to a neurologist in the afternoon.
“Today was not a good day,” Church said.
Minaya and Randolph were saying the same thing after watching Alou get on a plane to Manhattan and getting the depressing news just hours later.
“If we can get all of these injuries out the way now,” Minaya said, “that would be great.”
bhubbuch@nypost.com