The Mets' rash of injuries gave Tatis the chance to log extra at-bats this past season, and while his numbers were down a bit from '08, he still provided some help in deep NL-only leagues. The 34-year-old is set to enter free agency and likely will look for a starting job somewhere, although he may be more valuable to a team as a utilityman at this stage of his career.

Tatis has cruised through the last six games, posting multiple hits five times to provide a .500 (11-for-22) batting average with six RBIs. He wasn't expected to receive a significant role in 2009, but a plethora of injuries enabled Tatis to play in the outfield and at first and third base. He has a .282 batting average with eight home runs and 48 RBIs with one game to play.

Tatis was in the midst of his strongest month of the season before suffering the injury, ringing up a .370 average (10-for-27) with two doubles and four RBIs.

The reason for his departure isn't clear, although Tatis awkwardly jumped into the left-field wall in an attempt to catch a fly ball during the bottom of the first inning. Jeremy Reed took over for Tatis in left and in the sixth spot of the batting order.

With seven homers, 39 runs scored and 40 RBIs, Tatis has done solid work all year after being pressed into a fulltime roll after a slew of his Mets teammates went down with various injuries. But the versatile veteran stands to hand back most of that playing time now that Carlos Beltran is back and healthy and Angel Pagan has established himself as an everyday Major Leaguer, severely hampering his value to NL-only owners.

While Pagan got the start in left and led off again on Tuesday, Mets manager Jerry Manuel said Cory Sullivan will see playing time there as well. Fernando Tatis (18 starts), Fernando Martinez (10), Nick Evans (seven) and Jeremy Reed (six) have also seen time in left this year. Sullivan has given the position a little consistency, starting nine of the Mets' past 11 games there and batting .313 in that stretch.

On a roster that was once loaded with power hitters like David Wright and Carlos Delgado, it seems almost unfathomable that Tatis represents one of the Mets' most dangerous offensive threats. The seasoned veteran is worth a grab in deeper NL-only leagues if only for the fact that he's guaranteed to play nearly every day for a ravaged New York squad, but don't count on any great outbursts of power as his last long ball came on July 30 and he's only stroked six extra-base hits since.

Wright, one of the last healthy Mets remaining from their Opening Day roster, was examined by a neurologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan Saturday night after being beaned by a pitch from Matt Cain. Wright will undergo a series of tests in the next few days, and the Mets will likely have a more concrete plan in place for his return following the results. Green will see some time in the Mets' depleted infield, but Fernando Tatis should get the lion's share of starts at third in Wright's absence.

Wright is resting at home and has no timetable to return to the lineup. The four-time All-Star exited Saturday's game after being hit in the helmet with a fourth-inning fastball from Giants starter Matt Cain. After lying motionless on his stomach for several minutes, team trainers helped Wright roll over and he was able to walk off the field under his own power. On Sunday afternoon, Mets manager Jerry Manuel preached confidence in Wright and said there were no current plans to put him on the disabled list. Wright will undergo a series of tests in the next few days, and the Mets will likely have a more concrete plan in place following the results. Manuel said on Sunday that Fernando Tatis -- who stepped in following the initial injury --- will get the bulk of playing time at third base in Wright's place.

Wright lay motionless on the ground for a couple minutes after getting plunked just above his left ear. He walked off the field with the aid of a trainer and was sent to the hospital. A CT scan came back negative, but Wright will be kept at the hospital overnight for observation. Fernando Tatis replaced Wright at the hot corner and could stay as his replacement if Wright has to miss any time.

Fernando Tatis replaced Wright at third base and in the third spot of the batting order. Cory Sullivan was planted in the leadoff spot and in center field, with Jeremy Reed batting sixth and handling left field. Manuel said that Wright needed a mental and physical break, in part because of a lingering case of stomach flu, but that he expected him to be ready to play Wednesday.

Tatis was more or less the whole show for the Mets on Monday, but his frustrating season can't be blamed entirely on his lackluster supporting cast. A year after breaking out as a surprise contributor in deeper NL-only leagues thanks to a .297-11-47 line in 273 at-bats, Tatis has slipped back onto the fantasy fringe thanks to a .245-6-28 line over 212 at-bats in 2009.

Where did this come from? Tatis had been fading fast in Queens, as he entered Monday just 2-for-15 since the All-Star break. The grand slam was his fifth homer of the season, likely buying him a few extra starts at the expense of Jeremy Reed or Cory Sullivan, whom he spelled in this one.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel had been hopeful that Sheffield, who missed his third straight start Monday, could be back in the starting lineup as early as Tuesday. But after Monday's game, Manuel indicated that the Mets will likely have to wait some more. "We'll check him again [on Tuesday]," Manuel said. "He was available as a pinch-hitter [on Monday]. We'll see how he feels. We will probably not start him. With the lefty [John Lannan starting for Washington], it will probably be [Fernando] Tatis in left field." Tatis is 4-for-10 in his career against Lannan, and Sheffield is 2-for-6 with a home run.

Tatis hasn't played up to the standards that he set in his triumphant return to the Majors last season, but a depleted Mets lineup should still result in plenty of playing time for the versatile slugger.