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NEW YORK — The New York Mets, mired in a nightmare season spiraling out of control, were walloped with a one-two punch minutes apart Wednesday afternoon.

First, the club placed struggling closer Edwin Díaz on the injured list with a shoulder impingement moments before first pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then came the second blow: All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso exiting the series finale in the first inning when he was hit on the right hand by a pitch.

Alonso took a 93 mph fastball from Dodgers left-hander James Paxton while checking his swing, instantly falling to his left knee upon impact. He walked down to first base but exited the field with a trainer moments later.

The Mets said they’d provide an update on Alonso after he undergoes tests.

A free agent this winter, Alonso, 29, has been the best hitter for an anemic Mets offense, with a team-leading 12 home runs and a .758 OPS. He is a prime candidate for the Mets to trade by the July 30 deadline should president of baseball operations David Stearns choose to sell, though a significant hand injury could complicate the endeavor.

The Mets entered Wednesday 22-32, having lost seven of their past eight games.

“Nothing’s changed with Pete’s situation,” Stearns said Tuesday. “Our goal is, on a daily basis, to help this team succeed as much as possible so we can win as many games as possible.”

Díaz has been one of a few core veterans underperforming for the Mets this season.

The two-time All-Star was charged with one earned run in his first 10 appearances this season before April 29, but it has been a disaster since then. In his last 10 games, Díaz has surrendered 11 runs on 14 hits in 10⅓ innings.

He blew his fourth save in three weeks Saturday against the San Francisco Giants, pitching on the second day of a back-to-back after Mets manager Carlos Mendoza chose not to have him pitch during a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians.

Afterwards, Díaz insisted he was encouraged by the performance and didn’t hint at a physical issue. But he didn’t pitch in the Mets’ doubleheader Tuesday. Instead, Adam Ottavino given the ninth inning for a save opportunity in the first game and squandered the Mets’ 2-1 lead.

Díaz, 30, signed a five-year, $102 million contract — the richest ever for a reliever — after a historic 2022 season. He then tore his right ACL celebrating a win for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic in March 2023, ending his 2023 season before it started.

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Yankees RHP Cousins has setback with pec issue

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Yankees RHP Cousins has setback with pec issue

NEW YORK — Yankees reliever Jake Cousins felt pectoral discomfort after throwing a pair of batting practice sessions, another setback in his bid to return to the mound for the first time since last fall.

Cousins won’t throw again for four or five days, manager Aaron Boone said Saturday.

Boone said ahead of spring training’s opening workout that Cousins had a strained right forearm and was uncertain for the March 27 opener.

A 30-year-old right-hander, Cousins threw batting practice to injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton on May 6. Boone said Cousins pitched an additional session before the pec issue caused a shutdown.

“We don’t think it’s anything serious, but enough to hold him back a few days,” Boone said.

Boone said Cousins had tests and that they didn’t show any shoulder issues.

Cousins had a 2.37 ERA in 37 relief appearances last year, striking out 53 and walking 20 in 38 innings.

Boone said a date has not been set for Stanton to start a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. The five-time All-Star has been sidelined since spring training with pain in the tendons of both elbows.

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‘So that’s why they’re called the 0’s’: Twins troll Orioles after shutout win

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'So that's why they're called the 0's': Twins troll Orioles after shutout win

The Minnesota Twins are on a roll. They extended their winning streak to 11 games Thursday with a 4-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles that completed a series sweep. Their confidence carried over to social media, too, as they trolled the Orioles.

Minnesota used a three-run third inning to propel itself to victory, with home runs from DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and Byron Buxton.

The Twins hold the longest win streak in MLB; its their their longest run of victories since winning 12 straight from April 22 to May 4 last season, according to ESPN Research. The franchise record is 15 set in 1991.

Minnesota poked fun at Baltimore’s namesake with a post after the game, referring to the Orioles also being known as the “O’s” — and swapping a zero in for the O.

The Twins have won each of their six matchups against the Orioles this season. All of them have come during Minnesota’s current win streak.

Minnesota (24-20) is fourth in the American League Central behind the Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers.

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Red Sox rookie Campbell working out at 1st base

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Red Sox rookie Campbell working out at 1st base

Star Boston Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell has started working out at first base in the wake of Triston Casas‘ season-ending knee injury.

Campbell worked out at first before Friday night’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora addressed the situation when he spoke to reporters before the game.

“Looking for options,” Cora told reporters. “Obviously, we’re getting Romy [Gonzalez] probably at the end of the week, early next week, but just introduce him to first base and see how he looks. That’s where we’re at.”

Casas ruptured the tendon in his left knee while running to first base during a game against the Minnesota Twins earlier this month. His replacement at first, Gonzalez, was placed on the 10-day injured list because of a left quad contusion last week.

One potential replacement, star slugger Rafael Devers, said after Casas went down that he would not be open to moving to first after he went from third base to designated hitter during spring training to make room for Alex Bregman.

Campbell, one of baseball’s top prospects, broke camp with the big league team and has been its primary second baseman through the start of the season. He has also played in the outfield and at shortstop and third base in his career, but never first.

Asked what he would need to see for Campbell to be a realistic option at first for his team, Cora added: “The process started, right? It can take 10 days, 15 days, a month, two months. But we started the process and introduced him to first.”

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