NEW YORK -- The Mets found themselves needing to adjust to a new, unfamiliar reality on Monday night -- and quickly. Though Francisco Lindor’s MRI on his lower back showed no structural damage (unequivocally good news for him and New York), the National League MVP candidate will miss at least a couple of games to let his pain return to a manageable level.

That means there is a nearly impossible void to fill at shortstop and at the top of the lineup. But in the throes of an NL Wild Card race, the club understands that there’s no use in lamenting the situation -- there are games to win.

“It’ll be strange, but nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. And that’s the message in here talking to the players,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “People will have to continue to step up, we’ve done it the whole year. The good news is, he’ll be back -- but in the meantime, we can’t just sit here and wait. We got to take care of business.”

It took a while, but the Mets passed their first test. After seven innings of quiet offense against starter Jake Irvin, New York broke through against the Nats’ bullpen to complete the comeback in the series opener, winning a 2-1 contest in 10 innings. Jose Iglesias, who started at shortstop and hit from the leadoff spot, delivered the game-tying RBI infield single in the eighth inning with two outs. Starling Marte came through with the decisive blow in the 10th, driving in the automatic runner with a single, the Mets’ 11th walk-off victory of the season.

The Mets took control of the third and final NL Wild Card spot, moving a game ahead of the Braves, who lost to the Dodgers on Monday night.