The Mets have not ruled out a 2016 return for first baseman Lucas Duda, reports SNY. Duda has been on the shelf since late May because of a stress fracture in his lower back, and an early August setback in his recovery caused the Mets to shut him down for 30 days. The 30-year-old slugger is now back to hitting soft toss in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and could soon partake in live batting practice, per SNY.
The optimistic update on Duda comes during a week in which the Mets have lost second baseman Neil Walker and right-hander Zack Wheeler for the season with injuries, while ace righty Jacob deGrom will miss at least one start with forearm soreness. Despite injury issues and an underwhelming record (69-66), the defending National League champions are only two games behind St. Louis for the NL’s second wild-card spot.
One reason the Mets aren’t nearly as formidable as they were last year is an inability to score runs. Despite being second in the NL in homers, the Mets have totaled the third-fewest runs in their league. Duda’s replacement, James Loney, hasn’t helped matters. Loney has batted a meager .258/.302/.369 in 299 plate appearances, making him one of the least effective first basemen in the sport this year. Duda wasn’t that much more successful in his 145 pre-injury PAs (.231/.297/.431), but he did combine to hit an easily above-average .249/.349/.453 with 97 long balls in 2,340 plate trips from 2011-15.
If Duda comes back sometime down the stretch and shows he’s healthy, it could help him stay in a Mets uniform beyond this season. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd wrote last week, Duda is a potential non-tender candidate for the upcoming winter. He’s currently on a $6.725MM salary and is scheduled to make one more trip through arbitration.
Question is Why ! They can pick up a Lefthanded Plt Bat cheaper !
look i think Duda is an extremely so-so player but he wont get much in the arb process, lets say he makes 7 million. what left handed hitter is going to cost 7 million bucks and have 30 homer upside? besides, Dominic Smith is a year away and they could use Duda to hold things down in the meantime. A non-tender only makes sense if his back shows signs of serious irreparable damage.
I could’ve sworn when I looked at my phone it said that Lucas Duda could return in 2026 lol
Lets just sign Tebow to play first lol
Get him on the field to show he is healthy and then trade him.
Duda will not be tendered by the Mets, he is a below average fielder who is coming off an injury, and he will be making over 6 million He is a streaky hitter at best.
he’s a below average fielder at a position that nobody expects or needs excellent glove work, he’s coming off an injury which means he wont get a raise in arbitration and 6 mill is chump change. find me another player with 30 homer upside for 6 million bucks. i’ll wait…
Loney has had 1 month of terrible play, but from June 1-mid Aug he was hitting 290 and was one of the more productive members of the team – which I get is not saying much. Seems a bit unfair to say he “hasn’t helped matters” when he has done more than what was expect of him before the slump.
dude his ops is like .690. he had a few weeks where he hit an uncharacteristic amount of homers, aside from that he’s the same lousy slap hitter he was last year.
Duda is and has been useless. Sign Looney for 2017
Loney has a better glove, and isn’t that far off on avg to Duda. Imagine, since he got on the team, he hasn’t been hurt!! Get real, Duda isn’t our savior,if our pitching was all there, Reyes provides a spark, Duda will either hit home run or K.
Conforto to first, bye Duda.
They won’t move Conforto to first with Dom Smith on his way up.
I didn’t think of that, even so, Duda, except for a few home runs, then a lull….slump, we don’t miss him.
Loney has played terrific defense and has had his share of offense as well