New York Mets fans fretting as Starling Marte joins list of team’s walking wounded: "Senior citizen Mets breaking down" "Is the All-Star break close?"

Starling Marte joined the ever-expanding list of the New York Mets' wounded as the outfielder left Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers with neck soreness.

Marte, 34, was 0-for-3 in the game to drop his average to .222. Mark Canha entered for him and had a critical pair of RBIs in the Mets' 5-3 win.

The Mets kept a lid on the reasons for Starling Marte's departure for a considerable length of time during and after the contest before word got out that the struggling outfielder left with a sore neck.

While the Mets' win improved their record to 12-7, news of Marte's loss for an indeterminate amount of time set New York fans into another round of fretting and anguish over the team's age and mounting early-season injuries.

Starling Marte's neck stiffness traces back to a game against the Miami Marlins on Easter Sunday. Marte slid into third base and made contact with Marlins' third baseman Jean Segura, tweaking his neck. Marte missed just one game due to the collision, but he has gone just 4-for-30 since, noting that he has having trouble turning his neck to the left and picking up the pitches while in the batter's box.

New York is picking up its game after a dreary start to the season. The Mets have won seven of their last 10 games, and taking two of three in Los Angeles has kept the team within sight of the Atlanta Braves.

The problem for New York is that the Braves have won eight of their last 10, including two of three at the San Diego Padres this week, and continue to hold a three-game lead over the Mets in the National League East.

Starling Marte joined the Mets in 2022. While he earned just his second All-Star Game nod last season by hitting .292 with 16 home runs, 63 RBIs, 76 runs and 18 stolen bases, he played only 118 games due to injuries that included a fractured middle finger. He also underwent double groin surgery this past offseason.

Starling Marte nearing the end of a solid MLB career

Starling Marte of the New York Mets celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run.

Marte debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012, and has since made his way around MLB with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Marlins, Oakland Athletics and now Mets. For his career, he is hitting .289 with 143 homers, 570 RBIs and 321 steals.