The Mets have yet to announce the immediate plan for Lucas Duda and his worrisome back condition, but based on comments by Terry Collins and David Wright, it doesn’t seem promising.
The Mets manager said he is “really concerned” the slugging first baseman could be out for “a while,” while the team captain already was talking about how much the Mets will miss him.
Following Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Brewers, general manager Sandy Alderson said the team will make a decision Monday about a potential disabled-list stint. Collins said tests done on Duda’s back have been evaluated but will be reevaluated by team physician David Altchek on Monday morning. At that point, Duda will receive a diagnosis. Collins previously said it could be a disk issue.
“I don’t have any expectations yet. I’m real concerned, there’s no question,” Collins said. “I’m really concerned this is going to keep this guy out for a while, but that’s just me. I’m not the doctor.”
When approached before the game, Duda declined to talk about the injury, preferring to comment when he had more information. He did not accompany the team to Washington for its series against the Nationals.
It will be difficult for the Mets to replace Duda’s production. Utility man Eric Campbell has been used at first base with Duda out, and infielder Wilmer Flores (left hamstring strain), who is expected to return from the disabled list Friday, will be an option. First-base prospect Dominic Smith is hitting .278 with a .733 OPS in Double-A Binghamton, but at just 20 years old, he probably is not ready for a call-up. Ty Kelly, a 27-year-old minor-leaguer, has played some first base at Triple-A Las Vegas and is having a huge year, batting .391.
Duda has gotten off to a slow start, hitting just .231 with a .727 OPS, seven home runs, 19 RBIs and 29 strikeouts in 130 at-bats. It’s been a rough May for the slugging first baseman — a .192 batting average and just five RBIs in 17 games. He hasn’t homered since May 4 and is 7-for-41 in his last 13 games.
Duda sat out the first two games of the Nationals series last week with the back ailment, went 1-for-7 over the next two games and was a late scratch Saturday. Late last August, the 30-year-old went on the 15-day disabled list with a strain in his lower back but returned to be a force late in the regular season and in the Mets’ run to the World Series.
“Certainly we’d like him in there as soon as possible, but at the same time, we’d like a healthy Lucas Duda, not have him play through what he’s played through,” said Wright, who has his own back condition, spinal stenosis, to deal with. “It’s something you gotta take care of, and hopefully we can hold down the fort while he’s gone.
“Obviously he’s an integral piece here, but we’ve got guys that can step up and fill in. Certainly we’re gonna miss him because he’s a special talent, but in the interim, we’ve gotta find a way to maybe not get his type of production but find a way to get it done without him.”
— Additional reporting by Ken Davidoff