WASHINGTON (AP) -New York Mets first baseman Damion Easley left Saturday night’s game against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning after a grade-three sprain to his left ankle that will likely force him to the disabled list.
“He’ll have an MRI tomorrow. He’s probably going to be out for a little while because it looked like he turned it over,” Mets manager Willie Randolph said after a 7-4 victory. “We’ll decide who we’ll bring in (Sunday).”
Easley had X-rays at Sibley Memorial Hospital and will fly back to New York on Sunday for further examination and treatment.
“Until I get an MRI, I don’t want to speculate because I don’t want to put myself in a bad state of mind,” said Easley, who missed three weeks with a sprained ankle with Florida in 2005.
Easley was playing first in place of Carlos Delgado, who has not started the past three games because of a hyperextended left knee. In 76 games this season, Easley is hitting .275 (53-for-193) with 10 homers and 26 RBIs.
He had singled to left to lead off the sixth, but pulled up going in to second base when Washington pitcher John Lannan uncorked a wild pitch on a 1-1 offering to Lastings Milledge.
Easley appeared to roll his left ankle before reaching second when he was beginning to slide, just as Washington second baseman Ronnie Belliard was signaling to him that there was no throw coming. Easley dropped to the ground in pain after stumbling over the base.
“I tried to hit the brakes and go in standing. I’m not quite sure what happened after that,” Easley said. “I just felt the blow. I didn’t feel a snap or pop. I know I rolled it pretty good. The pain was there right away.”
Easley was helped from the field and replaced by pinch-runner Shawn Green, who advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Mike DiFelice’s double to left for a 5-2 Mets lead.
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