VERO BEACH, Fla. _ Carlos Delgado and Marlon Anderson returned to camp yesterday on the sore side and knowing they would not be playing again for several days.

Several hours later, Ruben Gotay slid into home plate and limped away knowing the same thing.

“Hopefully, we can get these out of the way now,’’ manager Willie Randolph said of the Mets’ growing injury list. “We’ve had our share.’’

Delgado took an injection for an impingement in his right hip and will begin taking anti-inflammatory medication and performing exercises targeted for the area.

Anderson’s bruised sternum from Saturday’s collision with Ryan Church is tender. The right fielder stayed home, resting with a Grade 2 concussion.

Those three headed a list of hobbled Mets until Gotay sprained his right ankle scoring the winning run in yesterday’s 6-5 victory over Los Angeles.

“I’ll be all right in a couple of days,’’ said Gotay, not at all convincing as he hobbled out of the Mets’ clubhouse.

In addition, catcher Brian Schneider has tightness in his right hamstring and sat out his third straight game. Shortstop Jose Reyes fouled a ball off his left knee Saturday and did not make the trip.

Center fielder Carlos Beltran and second baseman Luis Castillo are strengthening their collective four knees that underwent off-season arthroscopic surgery. Both have started to run the bases and hope to be cleared by the end of the week.

And, pitcher Orlando Hernandez is behind after surgery to his right foot and there’s no timetable for when he’ll pitch in a game.

Hernandez is scheduled to throw batting practice today.

The concern meter so far is low because there’s time to heal.

“I’ll take a few days to let it rest, get some exercise and strengthening and I’ll be ready to go,’’ said Delgado.

“You have time. You want to make your body be able to go for 162 games. You don’t want to play with fire. Now that we have the time, you want take precaution.’’

In Delgado’s case it isn’t just healing, but strengthening to prevent it from being a chronic condition, which is a concern because the injury has lingered.

“It was kind of on-and-off during the winter. The area would get inflamed in the joint,’’ Delgado said. “I had it on-and-off for a while. The last couple of days I noticed it was catching a little bit.’’

Delgado missed nearly three weeks last season with a strained hip flexor after taking an awkward swing.

Are the two injuries related?

“I don’t know. They aren’t in the same area,’’ Delgado said. “There might be something residual, but I can’t tell you that is the case.’’

The prognosis for Delgado and Anderson is for several days, but things are hazier for Church, who won’t return until his concussion symptoms of headaches and grogginess completely clear.