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Mets' Vargas Fractures Non-Pitching Hand, Out 4-6 weeks

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBSNewYork/AP) — New York Mets left-hander Jason Vargas is expected to miss four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right hand.

The Mets acquired Vargas in free agency on Feb. 18, signing him to a two-year, $16 million contract. He went 18-11 with a 4.16 ERA for Kansas City last season, making his first All-Star team and tying for the major league lead in wins.

The 35-year-old Vargas was hit on the hand by a line drive during a minor league game Friday.

The Mets announced Sunday that he suffered a hamate fracture. He was to see hand specialist to determine his prognosis.

Mets P Jason Vargas
Jason Vargas delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Houston Astros of a spring training game in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

With Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom set to face St. Louis on March 29 and 31, Vargas had been penciled in to start the series finale on April 1. Matt Harvey could move into the third spot in the starting rotation.

Vargas, who made two appearances for the Mets back in 2007, is 85-81 with a 4.17 ERA in 248 career appearances, including 228 starts, and has averaged just 2.7 walks per nine innings.

After a slow start to an offseason that had fans restless over the team's lack of spending, the Mets added approximately $90 million in payroll with the signings of reliever Anthony Swarzak, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Jay Bruce, infielder Jose Reyes and infielder Todd Frazier, plus the signing of Vargas.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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