#Mets’ Jeff McNeil feared worst after ‘scary’ crash into wall

He didn’t play in the Mets’ 6-5 loss to the Phillies on Friday night in Philadelphia, but is considered day-to-day.

“As soon as I hit the wall, my knee was kind of numb and it felt weird,’’ McNeil said prior to Friday’s game. “I thought it was much worse. When I stood up, it didn’t feel like my knee was too stable. That’s what was so scary.”

He was carted off the field, but McNeil and the Mets got good news when an MRI exam and X-ray showed only the contusion.

On Friday, he said the knee was “much better, although still sore.

“I’m pretty optimistic about how it feels,’’ McNeil said.

Dom Smith started in left Friday, with Brandon Nimmo in center and Michael Conforto in right.

Despite the initial concern, McNeil said he has no intention of toning down his playing style, which can sometimes lead to injuries like the one he suffered Thursday.

“I’m gonna keep doing that,’’ McNeil said of his aggressiveness. “That’s who I am. I play the game hard. I play the game the right way. So if there’s a ball I need to go into the wall to catch, I’m gonna do it. [On Thursday], it saved a couple runs. I’m never gonna change.That’s who I am as a player and it’s just who I’m gonna be.”

And that’s fine with manager Luis Rojas.

“He plays so hard, always,’’ Rojas said. “The other day, he dove for a ball coming in and was sacrificing his whole body to get the out. That’s how he plays. Sometimes I see him stomping on first base really hard hitting the bag and I’m like ‘oh,’ but that’s how he plays. It’s tough to take the aggressiveness away from the guy [and] to play it safe. He might even get hurt by doing that… I’m just glad there’s nothing more serious in there.”

That includes a head injury, which McNeil said trainers were also fearful of when they first went out to see him following the play.

“I was able to get my hands up and kind of protect my face and head,’’ McNeil said. “My neck was a little bit sore [Thursday] night.

David Peterson was feeling “good,” according to Rojas, a day after he was removed at 74 pitches with arm fatigue. But the Mets won’t have a better idea until the left-hander’s next throwing session on Saturday whether he’s facing any complications.

After Luis Guillorme singled with one out in the top of the eighth — his third hit of the night — he was replaced by pinch runner Billy Hamilton. The speedy Hamilton promptly swiped second, but when the ball dribbled away from Jean Segura at second base, Hamilton made an ill-conceived decision to try to advance to third. Didi Gregorius pounded on the ball and made a strong off-balance throw to third to get Hamilton for the second out. Amed Rosario then whiffed to end the inning.

“He was pretty upset with himself when he came back to the dugout,’’ Rojas said. “He was overly aggressive on the play. … I don’t know if he thought the ball got further away.”

Amed Rosario returned to the starting lineup at shortstop after three days sidelined with a stomach bug. Andres Gimenez, who had been playing shortstop in Rosario’s absence, started at third base to give J.D. Davis a day off. Rojas considered pinch-hitting Davis for Wilson Ramos in the ninth. Ramos grounded out.

“We trust [Ramos] in that at-bat,’’ Rojas said.

Drew Smith was optioned to the Mets’ alternate training site to clear roster space for Cano.