Bone contusion for ‘fearless competitor’

Jeff McNeil put a scare into his teammates but avoided a worst-case outcome.

The Mets utilityman was diagnosed with a bone contusion to the left knee, after he was removed from the field on a cart at the conclusion of Thursday’s first inning. McNeil had slammed into the left-field fence after robbing Asdrubal Cabrera of two RBIs with a lunging grab.

X-rays on his knee were negative, and McNeil, with the contusion, will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, according to manager Luis Rojas.

“[McNeil] is a fearless competitor,” Dominic Smith said after the Mets beat the Nationals 8-2 at Citi Field. “I just love how hard he plays, and it just makes us want to play harder, and that kind of energy he brings is contagious and just makes us want to play harder for each other.”

Billy Hamilton took McNeil’s at-bat in the first inning and remained in the game as the center fielder, with Brandon

Nimmo sliding to left. Rojas indicated it’s possible he will stay with that alignment until McNeil returns.

➤ Through three weeks of the season, Andres Gimenez has been among the Mets’ best players, but that doesn’t mean he will remain in the lineup.

With Amed Rosario sidelined for a third straight day with a stomach bug and Robinson Cano on the injured list with a left groin strain, finding playing time for Gimenez has been easy for Rojas. As Cano and Rosario near return, there could be tough choices, including putting Gimenez on the bench.

“Rosario is our shortstop,” Rojas said.

Cano (left groin) is eligible for removal from the IL on Friday — he was expected to travel to Philadelphia with the club — and figures to receive time at DH as well as second base. That would mean a shared role for the 21-year-old Gimenez, who has excelled defensively and held his own at the plate. Cano was leading the Mets in hitting with a .412 batting average before going on the IL.

And the Mets aren’t ready to bench Rosario for Gimenez.

“[Rosario] has been our shortstop from Day 1,” Rojas said. “We are comfortable with him, he can make the plays and he’s our shortstop.”

➤ Nimmo doubled and walked twice, extending his on-base streak to 34 games, dating to last season. The streak ties the third-longest in Mets history.