WASHINGTON — Lucas Duda won’t be emerging from his slump and starting a homer binge anytime soon.
In a whammy the Mets almost expected given the first baseman’s movements in recent days, Duda was placed on the disabled list Monday with a stress fracture in his back and will likely miss at least the next two months.
Manager Terry Collins said it will be at least 4-6 weeks before Duda can resume baseball activities.
The injury is similar to the one David Wright sustained during the 2011 season that cost him two months. This setback comes as the Mets are struggling to score runs and trying to find production with Travis d’Arnaud on the disabled list and Wright scuffling as he manages his spinal stenosis.
Duda, who has seven homers in 130 at-bats, was hitting only .192 in May, but his power potential in the middle of the order will be missed. Duda hit 57 homers over 2014 and ’15 combined.
“He’s a big power presence and when he gets hot, he gets really hot and he’s a force in the lineup for us,” Michael Conforto said before the Mets were scheduled to face the Nationals. “We’re going to miss him, that is for sure, but I think with this clubhouse, with this team, we have a deep bench — not quite as deep lately — but I think we have a lot of confidence that we’ll be able to fill in for him and continue to win games.”
Ty Kelly was summoned from Triple-A Las Vegas — where he was hitting .391 — to take Duda’s roster spot, but Eric Campbell is expected to remain as the primary first baseman until Wilmer Flores, who played two games at first earlier this season, returns from the DL, as soon as Friday.
But Collins will consider other options at first base, Conforto among them. Collins also recently asked Wright about potentially playing first base, and the team captain said he would do whatever the club needs from him. But given Wright’s back issues — he has been reducing his practice reps in an effort to remain on the field — it’s unlikely he would be asked to learn a new position.
“I think if they are considering it, at some point they will come to me and have me take some ground balls there, but I haven’t been made aware of it yet,” Wright said.
Collins also said first-base prospect Dominic Smith is not an option to be elevated from Double-A Binghamton. Team brass discussed the possibility of moving Neil Walker to first base and elevating Dilson Herrera from Las Vegas to play second, but that idea never gained much traction.
“Wilmer obviously is the first priority when he’s ready to play,” Collins said. “But Soup [Campbell] has got to get it done right now.”
Flores, who is recovering from a strained left hamstring, will report to Double-A Binghamton on Tuesday to play rehab games.
But Collins is also intrigued by the idea of Conforto learning the position, allowing Juan Lagares to receive more at-bats.
Conforto’s first-base experience has been limited to practice sessions at Oregon State, but he said he is willing to give the position a try.
“I will do whatever I can to make myself as prepared as possible,” Conforto said.
Collins conceded he is hesitant to thrust Conforto into unfamiliar territory.
“We’re not in a position right now to just test guys,” Collins said. “We’re supposed to win.”
Wright, who has battled his share of back problems between his previous stress fracture and spinal stenosis, said he empathizes with Duda.
“It’s difficult more mentally, because you have to be conservative with it, you have to take your time with it, you have to make sure you are meticulous with your rehab,” Wright said. “That’s when you have to stay on top of it — it’s pretty boring — [rehab] is a little long, monotonous, but you have to stick with it because these things can creep up on you later in your career.”