Lucas Duda has been swinging a piping hot bat recently, and that trend continued last night against the Brewers.
The Mets first baseman went 1-for-5, however the one hit he had was a two-run home run. The most important thing about that home run, other than the fact it scored two crucial runs, was the fact it was to the opposite-field. Before the game, Terry spoke to reporters about Duda’s recent success and an important adjustment he’s made.
“I’ll tell you what he’s doing, it’s very simple,” Collins said. “I bring these two guys up a lot, but Pat Roessler and Kevin Long have done a great job with Lucas. They did a study on the fact that he gets out in front a lot so they’ve said you’ve got to let the ball get deeper, you’ve got to see the ball a little longer, and it’s paid off. He’s seen the ball a little more, he’s not trying to pull everything, and he’s making much much better contact.”
The opposite-field home run he hit last night off former Mets reliever Carlos Torres was a direct result of that adjustment. He saw the ball longer, turning a 93.7 mph four-seam fastball into a home run that left the bat at 102 mph. Being able to drive the ball the other way with authority, as Lucas did, can only be done by someone who allows the pitch to travel and puts a good swing on it.
Duda has been on fire recently having gone 12 for his last 32 (.375) with four walks and 11 RBIs. He has reached base at least once in each of his last eight games. Overall this season, Duda has hit .260/.383/.580 with eight home runs, eight doubles, and 18 RBIs. Hopefully this adjustment makes him a more consistent hitter, as opposed to having the streaky tendencies we’ve seen in the past.
