Andrés Giménez’s rookie season ended a day early on Saturday, when he departed the Mets’ 4-3 loss in Game 1 of a doubleheader in Washington due to right oblique tightness. Between games, the Mets placed Giménez on the injured list, recalling outfielder Ryan Cordell to replace him. (The team also transferred Robert Gsellman to the 45-day injured list to clear roster space.)

Giménez grimaced after each of his final two swings in the second inning against Nationals starter Max Scherzer. Following the second of them, manager Luis Rojas and trainer Brian Chicklo came out to check on Giménez, who departed following a conversation with those two.

“We didn’t want to take a risk,” Rojas said.

A surprise addition to the Mets’ Opening Day roster, Giménez impressed with consistent offensive production on top of elite infield defense. By September, Giménez had supplanted Amed Rosario as the Mets’ starting shortstop against right-handed pitchers.

Giménez finished with a .263/.333/.398 slash line with three homers, two triples, three doubles and a team-high eight stolen bases.

From elsewhere in the trainer’s room
The Mets endured a frightening moment in the fifth inning of Game 1 when Dominic Smith collided with the left-field wall, smashing his face and right knee into it. As Andrew Stevenson raced around the bases with an inside-the-park home run, Smith stayed on the ground, initially unable to get to his feet.

“It was loud,” pitcher Jacob deGrom said. “Especially with no fans in there, I could hear how hard he hit the wall. I was just hoping he was OK.”

Eventually, Smith did stand as Rojas and Chicklo came out to meet him. He then convinced the manager and trainer to let him stay in the game. Smith popped up in his last at-bat and did not have another ball hit his way.

“We kept checking on him constantly,” Rojas said. “He wanted to stay in there. He felt good to play.”

The Mets kept Smith out of their Game 2 lineup because of the injury, but expected him to be available off the bench.