Mets’ Jeff McNeil ‘likely’ out for rest of season with fractured wrist

Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil is expected to miss the remainder of the season after he suffered a fractured right wrist during Friday night’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.

McNeil was hit by a pitch square on the wrist as he attempted to move out on the way on a bunt attempt in the bottom of the fifth and he was forced to be lifted for a pinch hitter an inning later.

The team originally called him day-to-day with a wrist contusion, but they were sending him for further imaging on Saturday, which unfortunately confirmed the worst.

“Frustrating,” he said. “This isn’t how you want to end the season, I ended the season last year hurt as well, so it is kind of unfortunate. I want to be out there with the guys, this team has done so much and I just want to help contribute, but we have a good group of guys in there who can get it done.”

After a bit of a down year last year, McNeil got off to a slow start this season, and he found himself in more of a platoon role after hitting just .216 and posting a .591 OPS during the first-half.

But the one-time batting champ made some changes to his approach during the break, and the results have paid off, as he had been an absolute force amid the Mets’ turnaround over the past few months.

McNeil tapped into more of his power with 12 doubles and seven homers during the second-half to go along with a .290 average and an impressive .920 OPS across his final 41 games.

“It’s a huge blow, for us” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s been a tough year for him but I’m proud of him. The way he was playing before the All-Star break and right up until this point, he’s been one of the reasons we’re in the position we are. It’s a tough loss for us, but everybody deals with injuries and guys will continue to step up.”