Lucas Duda has been placed on the disabled list the team announced on Monday afternoon.
Infielder/outfielder Ty Kelly has been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas and added to the 40-man roster. To make room for Kelly, the Mets designated LHP Dario Alvarez for assignment.
Duda was examined by Dr. Altchek this morning at the Hospital for Special Surgery and was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back back.
There is no timetable for his return and Terry Collins would only say. “it will be a while.” Estimates from beat writers say Duda will be out at least 4-6 weeks.
The Mets manager said that he is going to try a whole host of players at first base in Duda’s absence, including Eric Campbell, Alejandro De Aza, Ty Kelly, Wilmer Flores and Michael Conforto.
Asked whether David Wright would be considered at first base, Collins said the organization is not ready to move in that direction. Wright however, says he’s willing to do whatever the team needs including playing first base.
Prospect Dominic Smith was not a consideration. Dilson Herrera was, but the team decided against it.
Original Report
The latest update on first baseman Lucas Duda doesn’t sound very promising at all. He remains out with back pain and manager Terry Collins said he was meeting with team doctors this morning and the fear is it could be a disk problem.
“It’s pretty concerning,’’ Collins said of Duda who had an MRI exam on Saturday.
“Having him out of the lineup is a huge loss for us, especially against right-handed pitching. It’s tough for us but we have to look at the big picture where we can’t aggravate this thing where it may become a major issue.’’ (New York Post)
Yesterday, doctors told Duda he needs to remain idle for a few days while they wait for some clarity after his exam with back specialists today. We will likely learn if Duda will be heading to the disabled list after Dr. Altchek reviews the MRI on Monday.
“We had him examined by the doctor [Saturday] and he recommended he take a couple of days,” Collins said. “That could lead to something else. We have to wait and see.”
With Wilmer Flores already on the DL dealing with a strained hamstring, Eric Campbell has been getting all of the reps at first base when Duda is out of the lineup.
While not exactly lighting it up – as his .231/.297/.431 slash line indicates – Duda does have seven home runs this season. and the Mets have come to rely on his left-handed thump in the lineup.
And while the Mets have struggled to produce runs when they’re not hitting homers, Collins is very concerned if the team ends up losing Duda for an extended period.
“That’s not how we’re built,’’ Collins said of creating runs. “We go out and swing, and we just hope we get some balls that are mistakes and we can do damage with them. When you take a big bat like Lucas’ out of the lineup, that’s a big hole. That’s some power. Right now that is seven homers and 19 RBI out of the middle of your lineup.”
The Mets are already tinkering with the idea of playing Alejandro De Aza at first base if necessary. He has been taking fielding practice at first base this week and is open to playing there if it means more playing time for him.
Flores begins his rehab assignment on Tuesday but is still a week away, so for now, it’s really just Campbell carrying the load. Hopefully, Dr. Altchek will give the Mets some good news on Monday.
