The Mets -- who can ill afford another injury, particularly in the outfield -- watched Jason Bay leave Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Washington Nationals in the third inning with a bruised right forearm. Bay was drilled in the top of the inning by Stephen Strasburg.

After a visit from Terry Collins and trainer Ray Ramirez, Bay took first base. But after an inning-ending double play by Ike Davis, Bay did not return to the field. Mike Baxter replaced Bay in left field.

Bay said the forearm tightened, but he does not believe he broke any bones because the pitch hit the meaty part of his forearm.

"I guess, luckily, it didn't get me on the wrist. It got me on the meat of the forearm," Bay said. "It just tightened up, as expected. So, hopefully, disaster avoided. My hand was getting so tight, I don't know if I would be able to throw a ball. It was swelling up and affecting the hand a little bit there. I went and ran the bases and it hadn't had a chance to tighten up on me. And then as I was coming off -- it wasn't a 75 mph fastball, that's for sure. It was going to swell up. It's just a little sore. Not too bad.

"It's right in the middle [of the forearm]. It was more muscle. It was all muscle, really. I don't think I've got a ton there, but it's better than hitting a bone anyway."

Bay added that there is no concern of a fracture, at least in his mind. He did not want to commit fully, but did not believe he would require an X-ray.

The Mets already are without center fielder Andres Torres, who appears headed toward a season-opening disabled list stint because of a left calf strain. Scott Hairston is making progress, but is not assured of returning from a left oblique strain by Opening Day.

Bay opened last season on the DL with a left rib-cage muscle strain, which he suffered during batting practice before a game against the Nationals here in Viera.

"Hopefully disaster avoided and just a little forearm bruise and I'll be all right," Bay said. "Any time you get hit anywhere on the wrist/hand -- he was throwing pretty hard, too -- it hits you and everything kind of goes numb and you don't know what exactly it is. You kind of gather yourself a little bit and kind of say, 'I'm all right.' But everything happens and it's just like, boom, you don't really know how bad or whatever. I'm just lucky it got me in the muscle and not the bone. It's a trickier spot if it's four or five inches up."