NOAH, HARVEY THROW
BUT CARDS FLATTEN WHEELER, AMAZIN’S
NOAH Syndergaard and Matt Harvey began Day 1 of their respective comebacks by throwing 70 feet. No need to rush back, fellas.
This Mets’ season now off icially belongs to the scouts and the trade market.
And like clockwork, a bevy of scouts descended on Citi Field on Monday night to take a closer look at the Mets’ trade chips as they moved that much closer to a fire sale with a terrible 6-3 loss to the Cardinals, who made three outfield errors in the sixth inning and the Mets still couldn’t get back in this game.
The Yankees were included in the scouting brigade.
Teams are kicking tires as they begin their f inal rounds of research with the trade deadline just around the corner.
The Yankees desperately need a first baseman and the Mets have a redhot Lucas Duda. Make that deal, NY, NY. Duda did not disappoint. He put on a trade show with a double and a homer. He possesses a legit lefty bat that could do serious damage, especially at Yankee Stadium.
Duda is certainly doing damage at Citi Field. The sixth-inning blast was his 16th homer of the season, his 124th as a Met, tying him with Todd Hundley for seventh place on the club’s alltime list and his 70 home runs at Citi Field are the most in the ballpark’s history.
He has homered in backto-back games for the third time this season. Afterward, he told The Post his swing is feeling “really good” right now.
The Dude has perfect trade timing.
It was a rotten night for the Mets bullpen once again and Yoenis Cespedes, who managed to go 0-for-5, couldn’t hit a ball out of the inf ield and managed to bounce into a double play to end the game to bring on the boos. Then he was not available to the media. Cespedes, the $110 million man, owns all of 20 RBIs on the season.
Sandy Alderson might as well set up a trade stand outside the Mets clubhouse.
This game once again exposed Alderson’s dread- ful bullpen, cue Hansel Robles, who surrendered a crushing three-run home run to Tommy Pham in the sixth as the Mets dropped to 41-49. The Mets have a number of walk-away free agents including Duda, Neil Walker, Jay Bruce, Asdrubal Cabrera and Addison Reed. Let the bidding begin.
It was interesting too, that Syndergaard made it clear he still believes in his power workout. Perhaps he will concern himself more with command down the road and less with triple-digit fastballs, but Thor is going to be Thor.
“I’m just going to continue to raise the bar,’’ Syndergaard said of building his fastball. “I’ve never been complacent. I’m itching to get back out there. From what it felt like today it was great. … But it’s only the f irst day. I don’t need to rush back, I’m going to take it day by day.’’
Walker (hamstring) could return sometime during the Mets’ next road trip, and when he does Terry Collins will be thrilled. “Neil is one of those unique guys,’’ Collins said. “Last year when he came here, he was a new guy, but he had a voice in that clubhouse. A lot of guys in that f irst year they kind of sit in the background, but Neil spoke up. We miss him.’’
With Cespedes missing so much time with leg injuries and being so powerless, and David Wright out all season, the Mets have a serious leadership void which Walker can help fill. Unlike Cabrera, who is not happy playing second base, the Mets will have no trouble having young Amed Rosario hanging around a veteran like Walker. In fact, they would welcome it.
The Mets are too busy showcasing players right now, though, to bring Rosario up to the majors.
Walker ran the bases, took batting practice, fielded grounders and worked a bit at first base.
“It was a good day,’’ Walker said of the progress made in his comeback. “Things are moving in the right direction.’’
Moving is the appropriate word.
Duda is hitting the ball too hard for the Yankees not to make a serious bid.