BOSTON — The Mets received a positive diagnosis on Tommy Pham’s right groin Friday, but will take it slowly with the veteran infielder.
An MRI exam didn’t show anything of concern, according to manager Buck Showalter, who had removed the veteran outfielder from the game Thursday for precautionary reasons.
Pham had tightness in the groin, which had also bothered him during the Mets’ last series before the All-Star break.
“We were able to have a good [imaging] comparison from the last one and they were the same,” Showalter said Friday before the Mets had their game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park suspended by rain.
“Hopefully we got ahead of it. It just tightened up on him and cramped up on him. We just wanted to be on the safe side there.”
Pham was available off the bench Friday, while Mark Canha started in left field with Jeff McNeil in right.
The Mets lost an outfielder, Starling Marte, to the injured list on Thursday.
Marte has been battling migraines.
Not only is Pham among the Mets’ most productive hitters, but with the Aug. 1 trade deadline looming and the team headed toward possible sell mode, the outfielder’s health will be watched.
Pham is signed only through this season and could be among the players the Mets are willing to deal.
David Peterson will remain in the Mets’ bullpen for the short-term, according to pitching coach Jeremy Hefner.
But unless the left-hander is needed in the rotation, he will likely return to Triple-A Syracuse at some point to remain stretched out as a starter.
“I still think he has some length built up on him as to where if something happened [in the rotation] we wouldn’t have to necessarily sit him out to get built back up,” Hefner said.
“He wouldn’t be able to throw 100 pitches right away, but depending on matchup I think he could still provide some length there.”
Entering Friday, Peterson had pitched twice in relief since last starting for the Mets on July 7 in San Diego.
The lefty pitched 1 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in relief against the White Sox on Thursday.
“The slider has done well since he’s come back,” Hefner said.
The Mets entered Friday 22-29 on the road this season.
Their 51 road games were tied for most in the National League and second in MLB.