Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Lucas Duda is feeling healthy and expects to make his Grapefruit League debut in the coming days. He was cleared to resume hitting today. “It’s nice to come to the field and be able to play baseball,” he said.
Last Report – Feb 25
Mets manager Terry Collins spoke to reporters after this afternoon’s 8-6 loss to the Nationals and said that first baseman Lucas Duda did not receive an injection in his back as reported earlier today.
Duda actually received a cortisone injection in each hip after reporting to the team that he had soreness both in his back and a day later in his hips. The injections will keep Duda inactive for at least three days but possibly longer.
“Fortunately we have a ton of camp left,” Collins said. “Lucas is not ready to play in my opinion. Yesterday he had two cortisone injections in each hip, and they need 48 hours to let that medicine take effect. We’re hoping that in a couple of days he’ll at least be ready to assume some activities. He hasn’t even been on the field in three days.”
Wilmer Flores has started at first base on Friday and Saturday, but Collins said that Jay Bruce and Neil Walker will start getting playing time at first beginning next week.
Original Report – 9:00 AM
New York Mets first baseman Lucas Duda will have to sit out a couple of days after recently receiving an injection to help deal with soreness in his back and hips according to Marc Carig of Newsday.
Duda didn’t play in the game on Thursday vs the Boston Red Sox because his back stiffened up following batting practice on Wednesday.
The left-handed hitting slugger played just 47 games in 2016 as dealt with a stress fracture in his back. In that limited time he hit only .229/.302/.412 with seven home runs and 23 RBI.
Wilmer Flores got the start at first base in the Mets Spring Training opener on Friday and is playing there again on Saturday.
