Flushing, NY (My Sportsbook) - New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza was not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers because he had a benign mole removed from his lower abdomen Monday.

The procedure, which required seven stitches, was done under the supervision of Mets associated team physician Edward Greaney. Vance Wilson started at catcher Tuesday night for the Mets and Piazza is day-to-day to return to the lineup.

Piazza is 20-for-49 (.408) with 11 runs scored, seven doubles, three home runs and six RBI in his last 14 contests. He has moved his average from .147 on April 15 to its current .301, which leads the Mets.

Tuesday night was supposed to mark the first time since an ugly spring training brawl that Piazza would have been in the same stadium with Dodgers pitcher Guillermo Mota. On March 12, Mota hit Piazza with a pitch and then tossed his glove at the Mets catcher. Piazza was restrained by several members of the Dodgers and many Mets went after Mota. After the game, Piazza even went to the LA locker room looking for Mota, but he was already gone. After appeals, both Mota and Piazza each ended up with four-game suspensions.

It was the second incident in as many years between the two. During spring training in 2002, Piazza grabbed Mota around the collar after being hit with a pitch.