Mets third baseman David Wright is out six weeks or more because of a herniated disk in neck

New York Mets third baseman David Wright will be out at least six weeks and perhaps a lot longer with a herniated disk in his neck.

Wright, 33, hasn’t played since Monday, and the Mets initially hoped the injury was minor. But they put him on the 15-day disabled list Friday and said he’ll miss at least six to eight weeks. The plan now is for further evaluation to determine if surgery can be avoided.

Wright was batting only .226 with seven homers and 14 RBIs for the defending NL champions, but he had homered in three straight games and his role as captain makes him difficult to replace.

“We’ve got to pick it up certainly in the clubhouse,” Mets Manager Terry Collins said. “His leadership off the field is second to none. We need to pick that part of it up and just hope he gets better, just hope he gets through this. I know he’ll put the time and effort into the rehab to get back, and we’ll just hope he gets back soon.”

Another of the team’s starters, first baseman Lucas Duda, has a stress fracture in his back and isn’t due back until July.

Another sidelined Met, right-hander Zack Wheeler, is now expected to return from Tommy John surgery in mid-July. That’s two weeks later than the previous projection, but Wheeler nonetheless eagerly anticipates his return.

Etc.

San Francisco outfielder Hunter Pence will undergo surgery for a right hamstring injury and is likely to miss eight weeks. He was hurt Wednesday and went on the DL Thursday. . . . Baltimore put reliever Darren O’Day on the DL with a strained right hamstring. . . .

Washington first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, whose wife gave birth Thursday, went on paternity leave. . . . Boston reinstated outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr., who had been on paternity leave since Tuesday.