Lucas Duda one positive on the Mets’ health front
New York Mets infielder Lucas Duda talks to reporters after a spring training workout Thursday Feb 18, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, FL. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa
If a dark cloud of injuries follows the Mets, Lucas Duda Saturday night was their one silver lining.
Duda, expected to miss the season with a stress fracture from his lower back, was activated off the disabled list and ready to play his first game since May 20. Though he wasn’t in the starting lineup, Duda said he was “100 percent” and that “everything feels great.” He said he would have no problem pinch hitting.
“It’s almost surreal,” he said. “It’s a pretty good feeling, like your first call-up.”
Duda said that though the fracture is healed, he still has to undergo about an hour and a half of preparation to make sure his body is ready. Either way, the power-hitting first baseman provided a balm to the Mets on the same day they learned they’ve likely lost Jacob deGrom for the season.
“I think the hitting will take a little bit longer than the defense because that’s the nature of it, but I’m going to work hard and whatever happens, happens,” Duda said, adding the goal is to get his timing down and be ready for a possible postseason run. “I can’t give you, ‘yeah, I’m going to get a base hit.’ I can’t say that. But I’m going to go out there and work.”
Duda was hitting .231 when he got hurt, with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 39 games.
“I think it’s tremendous” what the Mets have done despite injuries, he said. “It tells you the story of what kind of depth we have in our system, pitching to position players . . . It’s a great time to be a Met, a Met fan and I’m just elated to be here.”
Matz throws, no discomfort
Steven Matz (shoulder) threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Friday and didn’t report any discomfort, Terry Collins said . . . Outfielder Brandon Nimmo and shortstop Amed Rosario were named Sterling minor-league organizational co-players of the year, the team said. Lefthanded pitcher P.J. Conlon took pitcher-of-the-year honors.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
