HOUSTON -- Rare is the Mets player who has avoided injury this season. Bumps and bruises have not discriminated against anyone in blue and orange, affecting the young as much as the old.
And so it was on Sunday, when 21-year-old shortstop Amed Rosario departed the Mets' 8-6 loss to the Astros with a bruised right index finger. He is day to day.
"We're just going to keep an eye on it," Rosario said through an interpreter.
Initially, Rosario said, he injured the finger taking a swing in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader at Minute Maid Park. He played through the discomfort and was back in the lineup on Sunday, but during the game, the finger began swelling, prompting him to say something to manager Terry Collins.
Rosario underwent X-rays, which were negative, and hopes to play this week. But the Mets will be cautious with one of the most important pieces of their 2018 roster.
In Rosario's absence, Jose Reyes, Matt Reynolds and Gavin Cecchini all stand to receive increased playing time.
In 31 big league games, Rosario is hitting .245 with four home runs, three triples, two doubles and four stolen bases. The second-ranked prospect in all of baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com, Rosario is in line to enter Spring Training as the starting shortstop.
The organization hopes that both Rosario and Dominic Smith can form the core of its next winning team. After a slow start to his own big league career, Smith thrived over three games in Houston, going 5-for-13 with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs. Overall, Smith is batting .200 with four homers in 23 games.

"I'm learning every day," Smith said. "It's a tough game. And every day you step on the field, you don't get a break. You're playing against the best players in the world."