Turner could land on DL with left intercostal strain

ATLANTA -- Mets infielder Justin Turner is dealing with a left intercostal strain that could land him on the disabled list as soon as Tuesday.

Turner stayed in New York after Sunday's game, receiving an MRI on Monday morning before joining his teammates in Atlanta. Though the Mets may not reach a resolution before the start of Tuesday's doubleheader, manager Terry Collins strongly indicated that Turner could land on the DL.

"He's had it for a few days," Collins said. "He's just gotten worse the last couple days, so we had him looked at."

With the Mets scheduled to play five games in four days in Atlanta, and in need of roster spots to make room for pitchers Zack Wheeler and Scott Atchison, they may simply disable Turner and proceed with an extra arm for the immediate future. That would eliminate the need to cut anyone before Tuesday, thanks to an MLB rule that allows teams to carry 26 players for previously-scheduled doubleheaders.

But the Mets will still have to make another roster move after the doubleheader.

Turner is in the midst of an 8-for-50 slump, lowering his average from .378 at its peak to .266. He has made spot starts at all four infield positions, appearing most frequently at first base.