Starling Marte sits after injuring neck on steal on Sunday

Starling Marte’s head-on collision with Jean Segura’s knee at third base Sunday led to his removal from the Mets’ game against the Marlins after the first inning at Citi Field. It also led to him being left out of the starting lineup Monday night against the Padres.

The rightfielder was diagnosed with a strained neck. But all in all, he didn’t seem to be doing badly.

Before the Mets’ 5-0 win, manager Buck Showalter was even hoping Marte would be available off the bench, but he ended up not playing. Showalter indicated there was no sign of a concussion and said the Mets hope the situation is “short-lived.”

“The concussed part of it, we think we’re in pretty good shape,” Showalter said. “His neck is a little sore . . . He took a pretty good pop there, more of a form of whiplash was the way he put it.”

Marte stayed in after his steal of third in Sunday’s game, but Showalter pulled him before the top of the second.

“I’ve got to tell you, at the time, an inning or two later, I was not questioning myself, but I’m wondering if I jumped the gun a little bit on that,” Showalter said. “But now I feel good about it because those things, you deal with neck and head, you’re always going to err on the side [of caution] . . . He fought me a little bit down the runway.”

Pete’s productive start

Pete Alonso went 0-for-4 and his average dropped to .214, but he had four homers to show for his previous three games. He has five homers and 11 RBIs to show for the first 11.

The reasons behind the production are simple. “Not chasing and just capitalizing on stuff in my zone,” Alonso said.

Showalter is seeing more than just offensive production.

“Pete’s gotten off to a really good start defensively, too,” Showalter said. “He very quietly has played really well at first base, and that’s something he takes a lot of pride in.

“You’re also seeing the product of a guy who did a lot of work in the offseason. We liked the guy last year, and we would’ve taken that same guy. But Pete wanted to get better . . . He’s moving better on the bases and at first base.”

Escobar helps cause

After a 4-for-34 Grapefruit League run, Eduardo Escobar got off to a 2-for-24 start in games that counted. But there was progress over the weekend with 1-for-4 games, including a two-run homer Saturday and a double Sunday. He went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly in the opener vs. San Diego.

“He’s played really good defensively for us through thick and thin, some tough plays,” Showalter said. “I think everybody feels for him a little bit with some of the light that might be more on him at this time. But he welcomes that challenge. I feel confident that whatever he’s going to be, he’ll get there.”