WASHINGTON — It must be the shoes.
J.D. Martinez, who had started 28 games for the Mets, was removed from Tuesday’s starting lineup because of a sore left ankle, but later attributed it to the cleats he had been wearing the night before.
“To be honest, I had to try out the new cleats because my shipment of new cleats hadn’t arrived yet. [Monday]”‘I was feeling great, but I woke up today with a sore ankle,'” the veteran DH said after the Mets beat the Nationals, 7-2, in the 10th inning.
Martinez said he felt a sharp pain in his ankle when he walked into the batting cage during pregame practice on Tuesday and decided he needed to rest that day.
Martinez was replaced by Luis Torrens.
Martinez said he replaces a pair of cleats every three or four games.
He said when he gets fatigued he starts to slip up at bat.
He said the cleats he tried on Monday had an extra spike that was not intended to put extra pressure on his ankles.
Martinez has since removed the extra nails but is hopeful new ones will arrive.
“I’m patiently waiting for my boots,” Martinez said.
Harrison Bader left the game as a precaution after colliding with the right-center field fence in the third inning and suffering from neck pain.
Bader said he has been examined and is fit to resume play.
Bader said he expects to be in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game.
Jose Butt was brought in from Triple-A Syracuse to bolster the team’s weakened relief corps and pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said he would have brought the right-hander back into the 10th inning if he hadn’t thrown fewer than 100 pitches in his last appearance on Friday.
In his place, Dedniel Nunez pitched 10 scoreless innings.
The Mets traded left-handed relief pitcher Tyler Jay to Syracuse to make room for Bat.
Bhutto will be used primarily as a multi-inning relief pitcher, giving the rotation some breathing room if needed.
The Mets need to bolster their bullpen because of injuries and the 10-game suspension of Edwin Diaz, who was ejected for ingesting a sticky substance and is scheduled to return Saturday.
Sean Reed-Foley has not resumed pitching and could remain on the disabled list until the All-Star break, Mendoza said.
The right-hander is still dealing with discomfort from a sore shoulder.
