David Wright Has Stress Fracture in Back

David Wright has a stress fracture in his lower back. Now, it’s apparently not as bad as it sounds (the words “fracture” and “back” together seem frightening to me).

Sandy Alderson said the fracture turned up on an MRI Monday, adding “David himself was surprised by it.” Alderson said Wright will get a second opinion but if the diagnosis holds, Wright will need about a week and a half of rest.

“It would be a nonsurgical course of treatment,” Alderson said. “According to the information we have now, it would be rest for the next 10 days or so, with a return to baseball activity. We’re not talking about something long term, but we are talking about something that may require him to rest for a period of time.”

Terry Collins did not take the news well.

“I was shocked by it,” Collins said. “He is without a question the face of this team. His presence in this lineup is something we need. We’re going to ask other guys to pick it up as of today. But I was shocked and unhappy.”

Wright believes he hurt himself back on April 19 while trying to make a diving tag on Houston’s Carlos Lee (below).

“About the first week, I felt stiff and sore, but I felt that would go away the next couple of weeks. I was on some medication and some anti-inflammatories that really wasn’t doing much. That explains it now, because it’s not a muscular thing.”

With Ike Davis already on the DL, this is a serious blow to the lineup. Although the Mets are 3-1 since Davis went down, a lineup with Daniel Murphy in a power spot is not particularly intimidating. Without Wright the lineup has just two power threats (Carlos Beltran and Jason Bay), and one of them (Bay) is in a funk.

Let’s hope the Mets can make it through these next two weeks relatively unscathed.