It's been a tough stretch for the New York Mets, and the challenges keep piling up—both on the scoreboard and in the training room. As they prepare to wrap up their three-game series against the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon at Citi Field (first pitch at 1:10 p.m.), the team has announced another significant injury.

Luis Robert Jr. has been placed on the injured list with a lumbar spine disc herniation. The outfielder received an epidural injection and will be shut down from baseball activities for seven to 10 days. This is just the latest blow in what has been a brutal nine-game homestand for the Mets.

Earlier this week, shortstop Francisco Lindor was sidelined with a right calf strain, and pitcher Kodai Senga was placed on the shelf due to lumbar spine inflammation. Add to that Jorge Polanco's right wrist contusion, and the Mets are now dealing with a growing list of key players missing from the lineup.

Hoping to turn things around, right-hander Freddy Peralta takes the mound for his seventh start of the season. The 29-year-old enters with a 1-3 record and a 3.90 ERA. In his last outing, Peralta struck out eight batters over 5⅔ innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits and three walks—a solid performance that the Mets will look to build on.

The Mets currently hold the worst record in Major League Baseball at 10-20, making every game a critical opportunity to regain momentum. The Nationals will counter with veteran right-hander Miles Mikolas, who is 0-3 with an 8.49 ERA in six appearances (three starts) this season.

Stay tuned for live updates and analysis as the Mets and Nationals close out their series in Queens. Every pitch counts as both teams look to find their footing early in the season.