Bizarre Cleat Woes Strike New York Mets as J.D. Martinez Scratched

Just one day after Brandon Nimmo's mysterious hospitalization, fellow New York Mets outfielder J.D. Martinez has been sidelined with a sore ankle attributed to new cleats.

In a bizarre twist of fate, the New York Mets have been struck by another perplexing injury, this time involving outfielder J.D. Martinez. Just a day after the hospitalization of teammate Brandon Nimmo, Martinez was mysteriously scratched from the lineup on Tuesday due to a sore ankle.

According to Martinez, the injury stemmed from a pair of cleats he had to purchase on Amazon after his usual model was delayed in delivery. A last-second switch led to a trial run with a new cleat that featured an extra metal spike, causing discomfort in Martinez's ankle.

Bizarre Cleat Woes Strike New York Mets as J.D. Martinez Scratched

"I haven't gotten my shipment of cleats in, and I had to try a new cleat yesterday," Martinez explained. "I woke up this morning and my ankle was sore... I went to hit in the cage, and there was a sharp pain in my ankle."

The decision was made that Martinez would sit out the game, with the Mets missing his services for the first nine innings. However, they rallied in the 10th inning, scoring five runs to secure a 7-2 victory over their NL East rival Washington Nationals.

Bizarre Cleat Woes Strike New York Mets as J.D. Martinez Scratched

Despite the setback, Martinez remains optimistic that the injury is minor, although he admitted to changing the cleats every three or four days. He has since removed the extra spike, but prefers to wait for his usual cleats to arrive.

"Just moving and hitting on a brand-new shoe is different," he said.

Bizarre Cleat Woes Strike New York Mets as J.D. Martinez Scratched

Martinez's absence is a blow to the Mets, as he has been a key contributor with a .278 batting average and an .853 OPS in 56 games this season. He missed nearly a month earlier this season due to a late signing that required extended spring training, followed by another injury.

Despite the recent setbacks, the Mets have fought their way back into the postseason discussion, winning 18 of their last 24 games. Their 42-41 overall record puts them just a game back of the final wild card spot.

The team is hopeful that both Nimmo and Martinez will return to action soon, as they seek to maintain their momentum and challenge for a playoff berth.