Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes leaves after being hit on left hand by pitch

— -- PHILADELPHIA -- In a potentially major blow to the New York Mets as the postseason approaches, Yoenis Cespedes was struck on the left hand/wrist by a third-inning fastball from Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Justin De Fratus on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park and departed the game.

There was no immediate word on the severity of Cespedes' injury.

Cespedes' arrival from the Detroit Tigers at the non-waiver trade deadline helped transform the Mets' moribund offense into a credible threat during the final two months of the regular season. He is hitting .287 with 17 homers and 44 RBIs in 223 at-bats with the Mets since the deal, while splitting time between center field and left field.

The Mets' lone other bona fide center fielders are righty-hitting Juan Lagares and lefty-hitting Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

Nieuwenhuis took over in center field after Cespedes' departure on Wednesday.

Curtis Granderson has started two games in center field this season.

The Mets already have lost a player once this season for a prolonged period after he was hit by a pitch on the hand. Miami's A.J. Ramos plunked  Travis d'Arnaud on the right pinkie with a fastball on April 19. D'Arnaud suffered a fracture and did not return to a major league game for more than seven weeks.

It was a bad day for the Mets on multiple fronts injury-wise on Wednesday. Left-hander Steven Matz, who had been projected to be part of the Division Series rotation, was scratched from Thursday's start against the Phillies with continued upper-back stiffness and now might be left off the opening-round roster.