Marcus Semien is just the latest Mets player lost to injury

The New York Mets' season continues to get worse, as Marcus Semien is the latest Met to wind up on the injured list. 

According to New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, Semien has a Grade 3 hip flexor strain, which will have him out for the next four to six weeks. Semien had tried playing with the injury until it became too painful, forcing him onto the injured list on June 25. 

Semien's teammate, outfielder Tyrone Taylor, had a lower-grade hip flexor strain earlier in the season (May 26 to June 26), which kept him out a month. 

One of president of baseball operations David Stearns' big additions to overhaul the roster this season, Semien has not played like the three-time All-Star he has been in years past. In 80 games since joining the Mets, Semien has hit a career-worst .214 with a .612 OPS, with his highest strikeout percentage (21.4%) since 2021. 

The Mets have the depth to fill in while Marcus Semien heals up

Despite injuries to a majority of the Mets' starters, they have had the depth to withstand things. When center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation) went down, center fielder A.J. Ewing came up from Triple-A and has been better than expected -- Ewing is batting .279 and has a .781 OPS with seven doubles and four home runs in 44 games. 

In the case of Semien, interim manager Andy Green has options to shuffle in. The most immediate choice will likely be Ronny Mauricio, who has 29 career games played at the keystone position. Mauricio has been up and down to Triple-A Syracuse for the Mets this season, and Semien's injury should give him a path to get more consistent at-bats. 

Brett Baty is another option for Green to play at second base. However, like Mauricio, Baty has not played many games at the position (62 games) and has been the club's third baseman with Mark Vientos at first base. 

Jorge Polanco, a career middle infielder, was signed in the offseason to play first base, but he has been limited to just 14 games due to a wrist injury that has kept him out of the lineup since mid-April. Green has already stated his intention to keep Jared Young's bat in the lineup at first base, which could make Polanco an outside candidate to see playing time at second base once he returns from the IL.