PITTSBURGH -- New York Mets third baseman David Wright was scratched from Friday night's lineup and is being sent to New York for an MRI on his ailing left shoulder.
Wright indicated he had been experiencing discomfort in his non-throwing shoulder for three weeks, since sliding headfirst on a steal on June 12 on a muddy surface at Citi Field. Video shows Wright uncomfortably moving the shoulder as he led off second base immediately after that slide.
The shoulder became painful during Thursday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, first as he reached to tag out former teammate Ike Davis on a fourth-inning rundown, then further while reaching for Pedro Alvarez's ground ball in the eighth.
Eric Campbell replaced Wright in Friday's lineup.
"Last night on a couple of different occasions I did something to reaggravate it, and it got worse," Wright said. "I was hoping to be able to push through it. They obviously shut that down. So now it's just protocol, like normal -- head back, get an MRI. Hopefully just some rest, maybe an injection, and hopefully I'll be back in a couple of days."
Wright has hit .385 during a current 10-game hitting streak, so he had been able to work through the issue recently until it intensified Friday.
"Last night was at a different level as far as me not being able to feel like I can do what I'm supposed to do on a baseball field," Wright said. "I would say it's fairly painful. The issue is that these last three weeks I felt like I've been able to be productive and go through normal baseball things without feeling hesitant. Last night wasn't the case. I felt like it was prohibiting me from doing certain things on a baseball field."
Wright hopes rest, a cortisone injection and stronger anti-inflammatory medication will prevent a prolonged absence.
"But it's all going to depend on what the MRI shows," Wright said. "Like I said, I'm hopeful and optimistic -- judging by it's the same thing that's been going on for three weeks, just maybe a little more inflammation -- that it's something that can be settled with a little bit of treatment."
The Mets likely will need to make a roster move this weekend even if Wright is not placed on the disabled list. The club already was playing down an infielder this series because team officials decided to demote Wilmer Flores when outfielder Juan Lagares was activated from the disabled list on Thursday.