Diaz leaves game after taking line drive off big toe

Manny Machado drilled Edwin Diaz’s big toe, but the Mets are hoping it’s no big deal.

On to pitch the ninth inning of Thursday’s 4-0 win over the Padres, Diaz gave up a line drive to Machado, who smoked the ball 100.4 mph back at him. It ricocheted off Diaz’s left big toe, and after limping off the mound, the Mets closer left the game with a trainer. X-rays were negative, the Mets said.

“Glancing blow off the big toe,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “It was a little sore, so we decided we didn’t want him to make any pitches where he had to brace his delivery with that foot.”

Luis Avilan entered to finish off the game and struck out a pair while recording his eighth straight scoreless outing.

Diaz, who had put up zeroes in six straight appearances himself, is a potential candidate to be traded before next Wednesday’s deadline, but only if the Mets can get a sky-high return.

➤ Jeff McNeil was out of the starting lineup for the first time since the All-Star break — which wasn’t a real break for the stud hitter, who made the NL team. McNeil said he was feeling fine, but Callaway wanted to give him a day off.

“His legs are a little heavy,” Callaway said before McNeil pinch hit in the seventh inning and grounded out. “We did it last week with Pete [Alonso]. Those All-Star guys, it takes its toll on you. You don’t get the break that everybody else gets. We had the off day [Monday and he had Thursday] … and then we’ll have Monday off and then he should be ready to go.” ➤ About 12 hours after his game to forget in left field ended, Dom Smith was back in the outfield Thursday morning taking ground balls and fly balls from quality control coach Luis Rojas.

Smith committed a pair of errors in the third inning of Wednesday’s loss and had two other plays where his lack of experience in left field showed. Callaway said he would have been right back in the lineup on Thursday, but with the Padres starting lefty Eric Lauer, Callaway went with the right-handed hitting J.D. Davis, who went 2for-4 with a double and a walk.

➤ Zack Wheeler (shoulder impingement) is scheduled to return from the injured list to start Friday night against the Pirates in his last audition before the trade deadline.

“He feels great healthwise,” Callaway said. “Obviously we’ll keep an eye on his delivery, make sure he continues to feel really good.”