MIAMI -- Continued pain in Wilmer Flores' right wrist should spell the end of the infielder's season. Flores attempted to swing a bat on Monday, but he was forced to stop due to wrist pain. The Mets subsequently shut him down from all baseball activity through Thursday's off-day, essentially ending his regular season.
"It was bothering him a lot," manager Terry Collins said.
Should the Mets advance deep into October, there is a chance Flores could still help them as a right-handed pinch-hitter. But at that point, he will be so far removed from Major League game action that the Mets may decide not to carry him on their postseason roster, anyway.
Flores has not played since colliding with A.J. Pierzynski at home plate on Sept. 10 in Atlanta. Multiple X-rays revealed no broken bones in Flores' wrist, but there is a deep bone bruise that is causing him pain. Flores also initially experienced neck pain as a result of his collision. He has attempted to swing a bat multiple times with little success.
Without Flores, the Mets are without their most productive slugger against left-handed pitching. Flores' 1.093 OPS versus lefties is the highest among Major League players with at least 100 such plate appearances. Overall, he ends his season with a .267 average and 16 home runs, 11 of them off southpaws.
Coming into the season, Flores profiled as a super sub capable of playing all four infield positions, and perhaps even the outfield. But injuries to David Wright and Neil Walker forced Flores into a near-regular role in the starting lineup, where he stayed until crashing into Pierzynski on Sept. 10. Collins apologized after that game for not pinch-running for Flores, who was attempting to score the go-ahead run from second base on a single.