Rays’ Ryan Pepiot forced out of game after taking rocket Starling Marte comebacker off leg

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The seventh hardest-hit batted ball of Starling Marte’s season was unfortunately directed.

The Mets outfielder blasted a 107.5-mph comebacker off Ryan Pepiot’s lower left leg, which forced the Rays starting pitcher from Sunday’s series finale at Tropicana Field.

With no outs and runners on first and second in the third inning, Marte drilled Pepiot, who went down and rolled on the grass in obvious pain.

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He rose and attempted to walk off the smash and appeared to try to talk his way into remaining in the game.

But after two warmup pitches in which he did not look fully natural, Pepiot walked gingerly off the mound with a team trainer and was replaced by Manuel Rodriguez.

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Pepiot was diagnosed with a leg contusion on his lower left leg and X-rays were negative, the Rays said. He is day-to-day.

Marte reached first base on the infield single, which loaded the bases in a game that the Mets were trailing at the time, 3-2.

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