PHILADEPLHIA — When a groundout off his knuckle rolled to third, Brandon Nimmo hit the ground and stayed there, writhing in pain as he held his shaking left hand. A minute later, as he slowly stood up and made his way back to the Mets’ dugout, he had one thought: Hopefully the direct hit didn’t result in a break. X-rays on Nimmo’s left index finger were negative. He is scheduled for an MRI on Friday. “I saw the ball go [toward third] and I was like, ‘Ah, crud!’ ” Nimmo said. “And then I felt the pain and I was like, ‘Oh, crud, it hit my finger!’ and went to the ground. “It definitely had a lot of pain…It looked like I bunted it down to the third baseman. I’m very fortunate that this isn’t more serious as of now.” Jose Bautista replaced Nimmo in rightfield in the Mets’ 24-4 win against the Phillies and racked up a career-high seven RBIs, the first player in Mets history to do that in a game he didn’t start. For Nimmo and his swollen, bruised finger, the hope is to learn from the last time this happened. When he got hit in the hand by a pitch in late June, he took a couple of days off before returning — and slumping. He was hot again recently, reaching base in 10 consecutive plate appearances before the unusual groundout. “I guess it’s a learning experience from last time, of what I’m looking for as far as strength and feel in my hand,” Nimmo said. “We’ll try to be a little more diligent on this one about coming back the right way.” Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Visiting Cabby Three weeks after picking up 14 games in the standings, a new temporary home city and his old position, Asdrubal Cabrera is settling in nicely to life with the Phillies — and life in a playoff race. As the Mets visit the Phillies, Cabrera is facing off against his old teammates for the first time since his July 27 trade. He is an everyday shortstop, a role he never thought he’d have again after moving off the position last summer, and has enjoyed being around a young Phillies team that has turned into a surprise contender, two games back of the Braves in the NL East at the start of play Thursday. “When a team like this wants you on the team to try to help make the playoffs, that’s real good,” Cabrera said. “We’re in a good position right now. I hope we make it. We’re playing really good baseball right now, so keep doing what we’re doing and I hope we make it.” Extra bases Former Mets closer Jenrry Mejia, banned for life from baseball two and a half years ago, began a rehab assignment Thursday, per the terms of his potential reinstatement this offseason. He tossed four shutout innings for one of the Mets’ Dominican Summer League teams…Jacob Rhame joined the Mets as the 26th man for their doubleheader Thursday, the latest step in a doozy of a recent travel schedule. After the Mets’ game Sunday in Miami, Rhame was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas and flew to Fresno, California, to join the team. He pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday before flying back across the country to join the Mets again Thursday — for a day…The Mets optioned Tim Peterson to Las Vegas to make room for Steven Matz.<doc-sep>There were two injury updates for the Mets this afternoon, one good one bad. The good news, as reported by Tim Healey: MRIs and examinations by two hand specialists said outfielder Brandon Nimmo’s left index finger is fine, and is considered day-to-day. The bad news, as announced by the Mets: reliever Bobby Wahl is headed to the DL with a hamstring strain suffered in last night’s game against the Phillies. Left-hander Daniel Zamora was selected from Double-A Binghamton in to fill his spot in the bullpen. Nimmo crumpled to the ground after taking a 90 mile per hour fastball from Ranger Suarez off his finger in the first half of yesterday’s doubleheader against the Phillies. X-rays taken during the game revealed no break, and the ensuing doctor visits have backed up those initial images. He is not in Friday’s starting lineup but was available to pinch hit last night, so could be available again today. Wahl—who was acquired by the Mets as part of the Jeryus Familia trade with the Oakland Athletics—appeared to strain his hamstring while fielding a bunt in the sixth inning. Roman Quinn dropped a bunt down the third baseline, and Wahl seemed to plant awkwardly when he picked it up. Keith Hernandez commented on a later pitch that he appeared to be favoring the leg, hopping on it after releasing a pitch. He finished the inning, striking out Wilson Ramos but giving up two runs. Zamora was acquired by the Mets as part of the trade that sent Josh Smoker to the Pittsburgh Pirates. A 40th-round selection in 2015, he has a career 2.80 ERA in the minors over 167.1 innings. In 51.2 innings with Binghamton this season, he has a 3.48 ERA over 51.2 innings, with 69 strikeouts to 16 walks. Opponents are hitting just .197 against him. He will wear number 73 and be available out of the bullpen tonight.<doc-sep>The Mets sent a player to the disabled list Friday, but not the one everyone expected. Brandon Nimmo, who took a pitch to the left index finger in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader, has no structural damage and is day-to-day. Nimmo, whose X-ray and MRI were clean, was examined by two hand specialists, both of whom gave him a clean bill of health. “It’s just a blow to the index finger and he’s going to play as tolerated,” Mickey Callaway said of Nimmo, who did not start Friday. "I’ve kind of played around with [gripping a bat] just a little bit just to see where it’s at [and] it’s not great," said Nimmo, who classified his injury as a bone bruise. "I don’t really feel good even tying my shoes right now. That’s not great. But they said this thing can really surprise you in how quickly it gets better." Righthanded reliever Bobby Wahl was put on the 10-day DL with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain, Callaway said. Wahl hurt himself while trying to field a bunt in the sixth inning of Game 2, he said. “I felt something kind of grab at me,” Wahl said. “I thought I could pitch through it.” Subscribe to Newsday’s sports newsletter Receive stories, photos and videos about your favorite New York teams plus national sports news and events. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Wahl — who was obtained from the A’s for Jeurys Familia — said that although he finished the inning, he felt his leg pull again when he tried to back up a double. He said he isn’t sure if this will spell the end of his season. The Mets called up former Stony Brook lefthander Daniel Zamora, making Friday the first time the team has had two lefties in the bullpen. Zamora, an Eastern League All-Star, went 1-1 with two saves, a 3.48 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in 40 games with Double-A Binghamton. Righties hit .157 against him and lefties batted .244. He had 69 strikeouts and 16 walks in 51 2⁄3 innings. Zamora was impressive in his major-league debut Friday, striking out two and walking one in 1 1⁄3 scoreless innings. “He’s been getting lefties and righties out,” Callaway said of Zamora, who pitched for Stony Brook in 2013 and 2015 and missed 2014 with a torn labrum. “Our internal guys and scouts really like him left on left, so we’re going to be able to run another lefthander out there in some big situations. It’ll be nice to have two lefties in the bullpen ... [and] it sounds like he can throw two innings if he needs to.” Little League-bound. The Mets and Phillies will play the final game of this five-game series Sunday night in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series, as part of the second Little League Classic.<doc-sep>
PHILADELPHIA — Brandon Nimmo hit a roller to third base in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader, except the pitch never struck the bat. Instead, Nimmo’s left index finger served as the impetus, and the Mets outfielder crumpled to the ground in agony. Initial X-rays taken on the finger during the Mets’ 24-4 victory over the Phillies were negative, but Nimmo will be reevaluated Friday with an MRI exam, and he likely will be unavailable to hit for a few days. “It all hit on my knuckle,” Nimmo said of the two-strike fastball from Ranger Suarez in the third inning. “It hit off the knuckle and went into fair play, that was kind of the insult to injury.” Nimmo had reached base in 10 consecutive at-bats — the longest streak in Mets history since Benny Agbayani in 2000 — before the groundout. Now Nimmo is hopeful the injury won’t begin another cold streak. He was drilled in the right hand in late June and fell into a slump that he believes was driven by bad habits he developed after getting plunked. “I guess it’s a good learning experience from last time of what I am kind of looking for as far as feel and strength in my hand,” Nimmo said. “I will try to be a little more diligent on this one about coming back the right way.” Jose Bautista replaced Nimmo in right field and finished with seven RBIs, including a grand slam. The RBI total was the highest in Mets history for a player who didn’t start the game. A night earlier, Nimmo had a career-best 5-for-5 performance and came within a homer of hitting for the cycle against the Orioles. He entered Thursday seventh in the National League with a .387 on-base percentage. “I wish that I had held back and let the ball hit me in the elbow guard or something,” said Nimmo, who has been drilled 18 times this season, the second-highest total in the major leagues. “[Suarez] had done with a good sequence to me and I was out in front of some sliders. I was just trying to let the ball travel a little bit. I realized it was a fastball and it just two-seamed right in the knuckle.”