After a pair of Mets’ hitters were drilled in the Subway Series opener on Tuesday, Jeff McNeil was hit in the back by a four-seamed fastball from Carlos Rodon pitch on Wednesday.

McNeil hurled his helmet while he was still on the ground and clearly in pain.

He remained there for several minutes while being checked by the Mets’ medical staff.

He stayed in the game and took first base with one out in the fourth inning.

Several of the Yankees’ infielders approached an upset Rodon, but the benches didn’t empty in a 3-1 Mets loss at the Stadium.

“I was just frustrated,’’ McNeil said. “I got hit with a 96 mph fastball. I get a little frustrated sometimes. I know he’s had a little control trouble in his last starts and he was trying to throw strikes. One got away. It happens.”

Rodon apologized to McNeil for the pitch and said after the game: “There was no animosity. I wasn’t trying to throw at him, obviously. It was one of those pitches that you don’t want to get away from you, especially left on left. … We’re professionals. I know this is our livelihood and the last thing you want to do is hit someone like that.”

Adding to the drama was the fact the latest hit-by-pitch came after Mark Vientos was hit in the wrist by an Albert Abreu pitch in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday. The next batter after Vientos, Francisco Alvarez, was hit in the hand by another Abreu pitch, though the Mets catcher was ruled to have swung at the pitch and struck out on the play.

Still, two Mets had mid-90s pitches hit their hands before McNeil was hit by Rodon’s pitch on Wednesday.

It continued a trend that dates back to last season, when the Mets set a record by getting hit by pitches 112 times. The Giants were second in MLB with 95. This season, the Mets are pacing MLB in the category again, with 69 hit by pitches.

“I still wonder why we lead the league every year in hit by pitch,’’ Buck Showalter said prior to the game Wednesday.

But neither Showalter nor anyone in the Mets’ clubhouse pointed to any intent or conspiracy against them. And they’re not looking for their pitchers to retaliate.

“It’s baseball,” McNeil said. “We have been hit a lot, but I don’t think we’re in a position to lose players, either. If we’re throwing at people, guys get suspended and we need everybody on this team to contribute and we can’t afford that.”

Brandon Nimmo, second to Mark Canha on the Mets with 16 HBPs this year, believes it’s a combination of factors.

“A big way of getting [our] team out is to come up and in,” Nimmo said. “So you’re gonna have to get hit.”

The Mets’ pitching staff also has hit the fifth-most batters in the majors with 52. Adam Ottavino has already tied his career-high by hitting seven batters and was aware Mets’ hitters were hit more than anyone else last year, but didn’t know that was the case this season.

“A lot of situations are different,’’ Ottavino said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything there or intent. I know last year we were annoyed with some teams and then we just kept getting hit and it didn’t seem intentional.”

Ottavino said the balls were difficult to grip last season. He also noted his own penchant for hitting opposing batters.

“I’ve hit a bunch of guys this year the exact same way,’’ Ottavino said. “You try to throw something in and they kind of half-swing and dive in and that’s what happens.”