NEW YORK -- The New York Mets, mired in a nightmare season spiraling out of control, were walloped with a one-two punch minutes apart Wednesday afternoon before losing another game with a late-inning meltdown.
First, the club placed struggling closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list with a shoulder impingement moments before the first pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Then came the second blow: All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso exiting the series finale in the first inning when he was hit on the right hand by a pitch.
Alonso took a 93 mph fastball from Dodgers left-hander James Paxton while checking his swing, instantly falling to his left knee upon impact. He walked down to first base but exited the field with a trainer moments later.
After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said X-rays on Alonso's hand were negative. He underwent a CT scan, but the results won't be known until Thursday, according to Mendoza.
As for Díaz, the right-hander said he felt tightness after his outing Saturday but didn't report it to the training staff until waking up with more pain Wednesday. He said he underwent an ultrasound and "everything looks great."
"I feel good," Díaz said. "I told them, 'If you guys let me pitch today, I can pitch today.' But they want to take care of that. It's my first time feeling something in my shoulder. The ultrasound looked great. They were happy about how my shoulder looked. Just take a couple of days off and start playing catch again."
Without Díaz and Alonso, the Mets excavated a new nadir in a 10-3 loss, giving up six runs in the eighth inning to complete a three-game series sweep at the hands of the Dodgers. The loss dropped the Mets to 22-33. They've lost seven of their past eight games.
A free agent this winter, Alonso, 29, has been the best hitter for an anemic Mets offense, leading the team in home runs (12) and OPS (.758). He is a prime candidate for the Mets to trade by the July 30 deadline should president of baseball operations David Stearns decide to, though a significant hand injury could complicate the endeavor.
"Nothing's changed with Pete's situation," Stearns said Tuesday. "Our goal is, on a daily basis, to help this team succeed as much as possible so we can win as many games as possible."
Díaz, 30, has been one of a few core veterans underperforming for the Mets this season.
The two-time All-Star was charged with one earned run in his first 10 appearances this season before April 29, but it has been a disaster since then. In his past 10 games, Díaz has surrendered 11 runs on 14 hits in 10⅓ innings.
He blew his fourth save in three weeks Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, pitching on the second day of a back-to-back after he was kept out of the Mets' three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Afterwards, Díaz insisted he was encouraged by the performance and didn't hint at a physical issue. But he didn't pitch in the Mets' doubleheader Tuesday. Instead, Adam Ottavino arrived in the ninth inning for a save opportunity in the first game and squandered the Mets' 2-1 lead.
Díaz said he played catch over the past few days before feeling more discomfort Wednesday. He won't throw a baseball for "two or days."
Díaz signed a five-year, $102 million contract -- the biggest ever for a reliever -- after a historic 2022 season. He then tore his right ACL celebrating a win for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March 2023, ending his season with the Mets before it started.