NEW YORK -- One day did nothing for Moises Alou, save for pushing him into further distress. So now almost two full days after feeling tightness in his strained left calf -- the same calf that kept him on the disabled list for the preceding three weeks -- Alou announced some disconcerting news.

"I think that the DL is a possibility," Alou said. "Again."

Alou had an MRI on Wednesday, which revealed an aggravation of his strained left calf. Pending some unexpected good news, he could hit the disabled list by week's end.

"Maybe we'll wait and see if it gets any better," Alou said. "But it doesn't look like it's getting any better."

Saying he felt "more than a few days away," Alou didn't seem optimistic about playing at all during the team's current homestand. Manager Willie Randolph could potentially use him as the designated hitter when the Mets begin a second round of Interleague Play on Monday, but that would leave them shorthanded for the better part of a week.

Already missing regular right fielder Ryan Church, the Mets aren't apt to accept that -- especially considering that there would be no guarantees of Alou's availability.

"If he's still sore a couple days later," Randolph said, "it can't be good."

For now, the Mets will rely on an outfield mix that includes regular center fielder Carlos Beltran, backups Endy Chavez, Marlon Anderson and Fernando Tatis, and recent callup Chris Aguila. Hardly the outfield they envisioned coming out of Spring Training, it's become a reality for the Mets nonetheless.

Alou, who just came off the disabled list Tuesday, felt tightness in his left calf throughout the middle innings of Tuesday night's game. He didn't return to the field after a 61-minute rain delay and arrived at Shea the following afternoon feeling markedly worse.

Nothing has improved between then and now.

The Mets have been without Alou for all but 15 games this season, and he's played in only 45 percent of their games since signing with them two offseasons ago. Now, he's likely to miss even more time.

"I just feel sore," Alou said. "I think the DL is a possibility, because I'm feeling like I'm very sore to walk."