Yesterday was the second time in three days that Michael Cuddyer was taken out of the starting lineup. Terry Collins said that this is all part of an effort to keep Cuddyer healthy for the remainder of the season.
“No disrespect,” Collins said, “but at his age, we’re going to make sure that his legs stay healthy.” (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com)
For the past three seasons, the 36 year old left fielder has struggled to stay on the field. He’s averaged a total of just 93 games per season in this span due to numerous stints on the disabled list.
The Mets are planning to give Cuddyer at least one day off per week, and he is expected to DH for one game during New York’s upcoming road trip to Toronto.
“That can beat you up,” Collins said of Rogers Centre’s artificial turf, “even if you’re only there for a couple days.”
It’s a smart idea for the Mets to be cautious with Cuddyer given his extensive injury history. While he has not lived up to expectations so far, the team can’t afford to lose his production for an extended period of time.
After hitting .332 in 49 games last year, he’s batting .262 with six home runs and 27 RBI in 225 at-bats this season. In the month of June, he has a .269 average with no walks and one home run.
Giving Cuddyer some time off also allows Darrell Ceciliani to receive more playing time. Ceciliani is the perfect compliment to Cuddyer as he is a left handed hitter, who provides excellent speed and defense. The rookie outfielder collected two more hits last night, and has now raised his average to .293 on the season.
