Davis HBP, exits with left hand contusion

April 7th, 2021

PHILADELPHIA -- Mets third baseman J.D. Davis exited Tuesday’s game against the Phillies after being struck on the left hand by a Chase Anderson fastball, but the Mets are hopeful he has avoided the worst. An in-game X-ray came back negative, leading to an initial diagnosis of a contusion.

Still, the Mets remain wary of a potential hairline fracture that would not show up on an X-ray. They plan to send Davis for additional testing on Wednesday, at which point they will receive a clearer picture of his status.

“That’s good news for the first X-ray,” manager Luis Rojas said late Tuesday night. “We’ll reassess about it tomorrow.”

Davis was batting in the second inning when Anderson’s 91-mph pitch sailed high and inside, striking him squarely on the left hand. He appeared to be in significant pain, and departed following a brief conversation with head trainer Brian Chicklo. Luis Guillorme replaced Davis.

“You just hate to see the guys you go to war with get hit like that,” teammate Dominic Smith said. “Something up and in, it’s just tough. It’s a weird place, the hand, so many injuries can happen. So many bad things can happen. It’s something that you don’t want to see, something that I’m hoping it’s nothing too big of a deal, and something he can bounce back from.”

A breakout player for the Mets two years ago, Davis spent this spring attempting to prove that his offensive and defensive struggles in 2020 are a thing of the past. The Mets named him their everyday third baseman during Spring Training and started him at third base in each of the first two games of the season. Davis went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in the opener, before being hit in his first plate appearance the following day.